The Power of One
by evanscinemas1
Summary: What if the Shamouti incident didn't happen until the end of Kalos? Can Ash take on an ancient prophecy, stop the Legendary Birds, and figure out his heart before the world comes to an end? (AshxMisty)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey hey everyone! I'm back with another PokeShipping story!**

 **I've been tossing around a few ideas in my brain and came up with this. What if Ash never visited Shamouti during his adventures in the Orange Islands? What if those events didn't happen until the end of his Kalos adventure?**

 **This will be a retelling of Pokemon 2000, with more current characters, and some old ones too! Above all else, this will be a PokeShipping story, but expect drama! Fluff! And a whatever else there is lol**

 **Hope you enjoy the prologue!**

* * *

A thunderous boom quaked the entire arena. Rattling the seats, but not the crowd. They erupted in a massive cheer as the explosion between fire and lightning detonated in a glorious blast. Dust billowed around the field, cloaking the small mouselike silhouette that darted from boulder to boulder.

"Alright, Pikachu! VoltTackle!"

The man's voice seemed to echo above the roaring of the crowd, reaching a pretty, blue eyed, honey blonde haired woman. Beside her sat a man with blue eyes also, but was sporting round glasses, and had lemon blonde hair. A much younger, petite girl sat on his right. The same lemon hair tied up in a side ponytail, and a small Dedenne in her lap.

"Go, Ash!" She squealed, jumping to her feet.

"Careful, Bonnie," the man beside her said. "Don't accidentally throw yourself over the seats."

"You worry to much, Clemont," the young girl, Bonnie, said back. "Everyone else is cheering, too! Right, Serena?"

The honey blonde faced them, "Right!" She turned back to the man down on the battlefield. "Ash can win this."

"He certainly has the advantage," Clemont adjusted his glasses as he looked down. "But Alain's Mega Charizard is strong. Ash is going to have to battle his hardest if he wants to win."

"He will," Serena confirmed, then stood up beside Bonnie, cupping her hands to her lips. "Go, Ash! Go! You can beat that Charizard!"

Down below, adjusting his hat, Ash Ketchum smirked to himself as Serena's voice somehow made it to his ears over the roaring crowd. Across the field, Alain raised his hand.

"Flamethrower!"

"Quick, Pikachu, use Quick Attack to dodge it!"

Charizard came swooping down, maw opening wide to unleash a torrent of fire. Pikachu dug his tiny paws into the dirt and rocketed forward. The flames singed the hairs on his back, but overall the attack missed.

"Use that boulder!" Ash shouted. "Jump up and grab onto Charizard."

Alain yelled for his Pokémon to swerve up, but Pikachu was too fast. The mouse seemed to ricochet off the rock like a bullet and clasped onto the fire type's foot.

"Thunderbolt!"

"CHUUUU!"

Charizard roared in agony, flashing bright in the burst of lightning that encircled the pair. They crashed to the ground, cratering the dirt around them. Dust blasted high, shielding the aftermath from everyone's view.

Silence hung heavy around the arena. Bated breaths waiting for the smoke to clear. Ash grit his teeth, taking one step forward as a silhouette began fading through the dust. Then…

" _Charizard is unable to battle_!" Came the announcers booming voice as Pikachu emerged from the dust cloud and Charizard lay still. " _That means Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town is the winnner! Ladies and Gentlemen, we have our new Kalos League Champion!_ "

A roar unlike anything Ash had ever heard before erupted all around him. Pikachu darted across the field, calling out happily to his trainer as Ash raced forward and caught the little mouse in his arms.

"We did it!" He shouted.

"Pikachupi!"

"We finally did it buddy," Ash cheered once more. So full of excitement, he tossed his best friend into the air. Pikachu let out a delighted squeal as Ash caught him again and started doing a victory dance.

"Ash!"

He turned to see who called for him. It was Serena, jumping down from the stands and onto the field. Pikachu crawled up into Ash's shoulder as the man started waving.

"You did it!" She yelled as she ran towards him.

The Announcer was speaking and the crowd was roaring, but Ash couldn't hear them. It was as if a sharp buzzing blocked out all external noises the moment Serena's lips landed against his. Brown eyes widened in shock at the sudden sensation of her warm lips, and her palms gripped into his shoulders for support.

She pulled away, beaming wide with a bright red blush apparent on her cheeks. Her blue eyes sparkled in the afternoon sun as she gripped Ash's hand and raised it high, inciting another ferocious roar from the crowd. Somewhere among the crowd, from where Serena herself had sat, Bonnie's excited shrill of a scream could be heard.

Ash blinked a few times before the roaring crowd caused the numbness in his mind to fade, and he cracked a wide grin. He raised his other hand and waved up to the crowd before casting a glance back towards Alain. The Kalos runner up was crouched down beside his Charizard, patting him and congratulating his Pokemon on a job well done.

"Ash Ketchum," the strong female voice captured his attention, forcing him to turn away from Alain. Diantha stood before him and Serena, a large, golden PokeBall trophy in her arms. "It is an honor to reward you as the winner of the Kalos League."

So many emotions erupted inside of Ash. After so many long years, here he was, standing before a Region Champion as the first place victor in a League Challenge. His longtime best friend was squealing with delight on his shoulder, Serena was beaming beside him, and his lips were still tingling from where she kissed him.

Today was a magnificent day for Ash Ketchum!

* * *

Today was not a magnificent day. It turned out to be very far from one. Okay, in retrospect, today was still one of the best days of Ash's life, but it had taken a slight step back. Now that the euphoria had worn off, and he was sitting in his room at the Pokemon Center, thoughts were swirling around his brain. Too many thoughts for the Pokemon Trainer to handle.

He stared at the PokeBall Trophy sitting on the desk before him, but it was an empty stare. One lost in the far distance of his mind. His lips no longer tingled, but a residue seemed to remain that he was unfamiliar with. Not a physical presence, but an emotional one. One that kept scratching at the inside of his chest. One he could not for the life of him figure out. Was he sick? Or hungry?

He reached up and placed a single finger against his lower lip, recalling the warmth of Serena as she pressed herself against him. Something had happened to him during that moment, he was sure of it, after all he'd felt the snap in his brain. But what? And why?! Why now?! Of all the times for his mind to decide and throw strange thoughts his way, why today? Today was supposed to be about him! And celebrating his long deserved victory! He wasn't supposed to spend today locked in his room alone with his thoughts.

"Pikapi?"

And Pikachu…"Pikachu!" Ash suddenly exclaimed, spinning in his chair to see his Pokemon. The yellow mouse jumped back at the motion, and looked wary as to what Ash was about to say.

"Why did Serena kiss me?" Ash asked. "Was she just super excited?"

Pikachu face palmed. Sometimes Ash could be a genius. When it came to on the fly battle strategies, or helping someone in need he shone brilliantly. But when it came to women he was just as clueless as always. Before the faithful mouse could begin the charade of attempting to explain to his dense trainer WHY Serena had done what she did, there was a knock at the door.

"Ash?" it was Clemont. "You alright in there? You've been acting a little strange since we left the stadium."

"Yeah," Ash replied, getting up to open the door. He pulled it open to see his lemon haired friend standing in the hallway with a concerned look behind his glasses. "I'm fine. Just taking it all in."

"I can imagine," Clemont nodded once, adjusting his glasses. "That was quite a surprise, huh?"

"Nah, I had it in the bag," Ash stated proudly, and he didn't see Pikachu face palm again behind him. "Alain wasn't going to beat me this time."

Clemont blinked. "I meant about what Serena did."

"Oh," Ash deflated. "Yeah…"

"You shouldn't hide from her you know," Clemont said. "She's been worrying about you, and what happened."

"I'm not hiding from her," Ash defended himself. "I'm just…" What was he doing? "I'm…I was thinking about taking a nap, but I can't sleep."

Clemont obviously didn't buy the excuse, but he didn't press the matter either. "Well, I have dinner ready downstairs. A feast prepared for your victory today."

At the mention of food, Ash's eyes came alive. "A feast?"

"All your favorite dishes I've ever prepared," Clemont began to say, but Ash whooped with joy and rocketed from the room. Leaving Clemont and Pikachu behind as he vanished down the hall.

"Same old Ash," Clemont chuckled. "That's good to see." He then turned to Pikachu, "I bet you're hungry too?"

"Pika!" The mouse bounded off the bed and sprinted towards Clemont.

He bent down to let Pikachu run up his arm and perch on his shoulder. "Come on, let's catch up to Ash before he eats everything."

* * *

Dinner went off like it was a normal evening for the group. Despite Serena's initial blush that developed the moment Ash entered the Pokemon Center lobby, nothing was said on the matter of her act at the stadium. Although, it was clear Bonnie wanted to bring it up. A few quick glances from Serena kept the young girl from doing so.

It wasn't that she regretted what she'd done, but she also hadn't meant to do it right then, and so publicly! So much excitement and happiness filled her upon seeing Ash claim victory that she couldn't control herself. It was like she watched herself from afar as she jumped down from the stands and raced for him.

She chanced a glance to Ash himself, and he was smiling wide as he devoured bite after bite of Clemont's gumbo. Not a care in the world seemed to be on his face, and that made Serena's heart happy. Even though Ash had only acknowledged her presence with a smile upon entering the lobby, it was enough to know that no matter what, he wouldn't keep his distance forever. She'd just surprised him, that was all. A soft smile crept onto her face as she turned her attention back to her own food.

"I can't believe you won!" Bonnie finally burst, having been quiet since they sat down to eat. "It was amazing! You and Pikachu were awesome!"

Ash laughed. "Thanks, Bonnie. But I couldn't have done it without all of you guys there too."

At this, his eyes caught Serena's and he gave her another smile. Her heart fluttered at the sight.

"We'll always be there to cheer you on," she said.

"We sure will!" Bonnie exclaimed. "Right, Dedenne?"

"Nennene!" The little orange mouse popped up from behind a large bowl.

"Thanks guys," Ash replied.

A gentle moment of silence fell across them, but it didn't last long as Serena had just realized something.

"Oh, Ash!" She faced him. "You should probably call your Mother."

"Serena's right," Clemont added. "She's probably waiting to congratulate you."

Now why hadn't Ash thought of that yet? He jumped up, extending his arm down to Pikachu. "You guys are right! I almost forgot. Come on Pikachu, let's go tell Mom."

"PikaPikachu."

The rodent scampered up to his usual perch and Ash raced across the lobby. He tossed himself into one of the chairs by the videophones and woke up the monitor. A few button presses later, and the familiar ringing tone greeted his ears.

The call connected, and a middle aged brunette, with deep brown eyes and a kind smile appeared onscreen. Middle aged might describe the woman in years, but Delia Ketchum was as youthful looking and jubilant as ever.

"There's my Champion," Delia exclaimed with a bright smile. "I was starting to wonder when I'd get your call. Hello there Pikachu, you looked great on TV."

Pikachu blushed and cooed to himself, throwing out a hand as if to say, ' _Awe shucks."_

"Hi, Mom," Ash greeted her. "I take it you saw the match?"

"Professor Oak and I sit down to watch all of your matches, honey," she told him.

Hearing his Mom's voice always put a smile on Ash's face. It was like there was nothing in the world that could trouble the young man if she was around.

"You just missed Brock," she continued. "He waited for you to call as long as he could, but said he needed to get home to have time to pack."

Hearing Brock's name sparked an idea in Ash's mind. "Hey, Mom?" he started. "What if I came home this weekend and we threw a party to celebrate? We could invite everyone! I haven't seen May or Dawn in a while. Max either, now that I think about it-"

"Did you forget about Misty?" Delia interrupted him.

"Misty?" He questioned. "I could never forget Misty! Of course I'd invite her too-"

"Ash Ketchum," his Mother began in that warning tone he knew meant he'd done something wrong. "We are supposed to be in the Orange Islands on Thursday to be there for Misty and her big day on Saturday. Your party will just have to wait until next weekend. I'm sure we could throw it then."

He blinked a few times, then frowned. "Misty's big day?"

"That's right, and don't you be late young man. I expect to see you on Shamouti Island sometime on Thursday. Understood?"

Unsure of what his Mother was talking about, Ash decided to nod. There was knock on Delia's end, causing her to glance offscreen for a moment.

"If you've forgotten about the time too, check your email again. Misty said she sent one out to everyone," Delia added. "I've got to go, someone's at the door. I love you. Be sure you change your-"

"Gah! Loveyoutoogottagobye," Ash said in one breath and disconnected the call. He inhaled sharply and leaned back against his chair. "Any idea what she meant by Misty's big day?" He asked to Pikachu with a frown.

"Pikachu," the mouse shook his head.

"Well, Mom said there was an email, and it has been awhile, maybe I should check," Ash pondered out loud.

He leaned forward once more and brought up the email system. Logging in, he blanched when he saw he had 102 unread messages. It was no secret he rarely checked his email. He wasn't exactly fond of computers, though he recognized that since he traveled, an email was the best way stay in contact with his friends. Maybe he should put a little more effort into remembering to check his email at each Pokémon Center.

He quickly did a scroll through to see who had messaged him. Some were from the League, with event updates and information. Those hardly pertained to him since he was always on the move. A lot, and by a lot he meant A LOT, were from Dawn. A fair few were from Brock, and many from Cilan. Iris had only sent him one, to which he was thankful for. Like him, she didn't care much for computers.

Making a mental note to read through all of them, despite the daunting task that sounded like, he scrolled back and found the email his Mother had mentioned. It was addressed to Ash as a ' _Formal Invitation_.' What on Earth did that mean?

He clicked it open and started reading. The farther along he got, the more his eyes widened and mouth fell open. There was a picture at the bottom of the email, on that contained Misty, and the sight caused even Pikachu's jaw to fall open.

There it was again, that same numb buzzing from when Serena had kissed him. It was like his entire nervous system was shutting down, and for the life of him he couldn't figure out why. Maybe it had something to with Misty's arm being draped over the man in the picture with her.

Bonnie came bounding up at this point, wondering what had been taking Ash so long. She silently peered over his shoulder and saw the invitation. Her inner excitement practically exploded. "A wedding?! That's so exciting! Who's getting married?"

* * *

 **What?! A PokeShipping story, but Misty is getting married to someone else?! Well, like I said, there will be Drama! What fun is it if there isn't a struggle? Lol**

 **Future updates are probably going to be slow, so be sure you subscribe so you can be alerted when new chapters arrive. Hope everyone enjoyed the prologue, and can't wait to really get this story underway.**

 **As always, let me know what you think! Drop a review!**


	2. Chapter 2

"Disturb not the harmony of Fire, Ice, or Lightning. Lest these Titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash."

The man's voice echoed around the large, domed room. Bouncing high, reverberating off the renaissance style painted ceiling. Large curved top windows surrounded the entire room, leaving little space for walls. Decorating the large space, was dozens upon dozens of ancient artifacts on display tables. Vases and silverware. Weapons and armor. Relics from ages long past. In the center of the room sat a pedestal holding up a large stone tablet behind a sheet of glass. Inscribed upon its surface appeared to be a transcript from an ancient writing style.

The man stood before the tablet, a light smirk upon his sharp face. He had greenish hair that was spiked on the sides, and violet colored eyes that glistened with envy as he spoke. He adorned a lavish light blue and black robe that gave off the appearance of great wealth. He smirked as his eyes traveled down the next line on the tablet. "Though the water's Great Guardian shall arise to quell the fighting, alone its song will fail, thus the Earth shall turn to ash."

His right hand reached out and pressed against the glass keeping the tablet safe. Behind him, from a desk sitting on a circular platform, a loud ding interrupted before he could continue.

" _Calculations complete_ ," came a strong, robotic, female voice.

"And what have you found, Vi?" The man asked, turning away from the tablet and walking towards the desk.

As he reached it, a small hologram like interface lit up in the center. Three different birds appeared on the hologram, flickering before the man. One was yellow, with a sharp beak and needle like feathers. The second was light blue, with a sleek build and a long, elegant tail. The third was cloaked in flame, with a long neck that gave the mighty creature a bigger appearance.

" _Analysis on the tablet strongly suggests that the_ _Titans of Fire, Ice, and Lightning refers to the three_ _Legendary Birds Moltres, Articuno, and Zapdos,_ " the female voice, Vi, responded.

A wide smile cracked across the man's face. "Excellent! Chart a course for Shamouti Island immediately."

He turned away from the desk and headed for one of the large windows.

" _Right away_ ," Vi said. " _Which one will you be collecting first_?"

The man stopped just before the glass, peering out into the abyss beyond. Dark blue stretched out before him, miles upon miles in length. Roughly the same height as him, only floating by just a little bit higher, was a large cloud morphing and swaying with the high winds.

"Moltres," he said. "I think starting with the first Titan mentioned is a good start, don't you think?"

" _Estimated arrival time, forty-eight hours_."

The man put his arms behind his back, taking in a deep breath as he watched the ocean. "Oh, Chosen One," he said to himself. "Into thine hands bring together all three. Their treasure combined, tame, the Beast of the Sea." He smirked once more as his eyes scanned the lapping waves far below. "Lugia."

 _"Calculating strategy to combat Moltres, estimated completion, two hours_."

The man ignored Vi's voice, the spark of excitement too great in his mind. "Once I've collected all the pieces, the ultimate prize will reveal itself. And then, my collection itself will be Legendary."

* * *

Ash Ketchum could be described as an impatient man. Not that he would agree, but right now he certiainly was having a hard time doubting that claim himself. Their airplane had circled Shamouti Island four times now, and Ash was getting that nervous itch. You know, when you're ready for something and continuously have to wait…and wait…and wait some more.

Shamouti was, by no means, a small Island. It took thirty minutes to make one full pass, and it looked like they were about to do another one. The only upside to their delay was Ash had a clear view of the Fire, Ice, and Lightning Island's that surrounded Shamouti. Out of the entire Orange Archipelago, these four were one of the very few Ash didn't get to see.

Serena sat beside him on his left, leaning against his shoulder to peer out the window. A deep blush was apparent on her cheeks, and Ash noticed she had started doing that a lot around him now. Or had she always done it and he hadn't noticed? She also seemed more comfortable with touching him, as was apparent with the contact of their upper arms. Not that Ash minded too much, she was just Serena after all. Lots of people had always been physical with him, like Misty for example. And her fist.

The thought of Misty sent another mind numbing buzz through his brain. A short lived one, but one all the same. Pikachu, who was perched up in Ash's lap and gazing out the window too, noticed the sudden change in his trainers demeanor.

"Pikapi?"

Not wanting to say what had him bothered, not that Ash really knew anyway, he smiled down at his Pokémon. "Just ready to land, buddy."

"Me too," Serena said, leaning off of Ash to sit back in her seat. "The view is pretty, but I'm ready to see the Island first hand."

"If it's anything like the rest of the Orange Islands, then it's going to be awesome," Ash told her.

"You've been here before, right?"

"Not these Islands, but I traveled all around the Arch…archi…" he wrinkled his nose. "I traveled all over the Orange Islands with Misty and Tracey."

"And she's the one getting married?" Serena asked.

Not long after Bonnie's outburst about a wedding, Clemont and Serena had joined them to see what the fuss was about. Ash had to re-read through the invitation one more time before he could try and explain to them.

 _Rudy Birnbaum and Misty Waterflower would like to invite you to attend their wedding on the 26th of May. The special event will be held on Shamouti Island at 7p.m._ _Please RSVP and check in with either the Bride or Groom upon arrival. We will be staying in the Elemental Inn. We look forward to seeing everyone's bright and happy faces._

Down below the main invitation, Misty had written a P.S. for Ash.

 _Ash, I know you won't get this until later, and I really hope you can make it! I've already RSVP'd for you since I know traveling will make that difficult to do. I put down four people for you, since I know you'll have found new traveling companions in Kalos. I hope four is enough!_

 _Look forward to seeing you there!_

"Yeah," Ash said to Serena. "Misty's…getting married."

His pause didn't seem to bother her. "That's so wonderful," the honey blonde said excitedly. "I can't wait to meet her, or your other former traveling companions."

At the mention of the others, Ash perked back up. "Yeah! I'm excited to see them again."

"You've told us so much about them, I feel like I've already met them all."

Ash chuckled. "Wait until you actually meet them. They're great!"

" _Ladies and Gentlemen,"_ it was the pilot over the intercom. " _We've been given clearance to land, we'll be touching down on Shamouti within the next half hour. Thank you for your patience, and enjoy your stay here in the Orange Islands."_

* * *

Solid ground never made Ash feel more alive than that very moment. Okay, in retrospect, there was a lot of times where he was glad to be back on solid ground, but having been stuck on an airplane within visible distance of his destination had taken its toll. Clemont and Bonnie had met up with Ash and Serena at the baggage claim, and the four of them were now exiting the airport. Palm trees swayed peacefully in the breeze, sand decorated the sides of the roadway, and thousands upon thousands of different colored flowers danced under the bright blue sky in the afternoon sun.

"It's so pretty!" Bonnie exclaimed, stars in her eyes.

"Nennenene," Dedenne agreed from her bag.

Pikachu stretched wide on Ash's shoulder, letting out a delighted squeal.

"This is incredible!" Serena spun in place to take full view of her surroundings. "There's so many colors."

"It truly is stunning," Clemont nodded, and turned to Ash. "Were all the Orange Islands like this?"

"Most of them," Ash replied, taking in the sights with a wide smile. While he hadn't visited Shamouti itself, the island still felt familiar. "We need to find Professor Oak, he's supposed to meet us here."

"There's no need, my boy," came a familiar voice from behind the group. "It seems I've found you."

Ash's grin widened into a toothy one, and he spun on the spot to see an older gentleman with spiky gray hair. He had kind, yet dark eyes, and a gentle smile. A lab coat adorned his torso, covering a tan button up shirt. Khakis pants matched well with the fashion choices, except his shoes appeared far too comfortable.

"Professor Oak!" Ash exclaimed.

"How are you, Ash? And Pikachu?" The Professor greeted.

"Were doing great, right buddy?"

"Pikapikachu!"

"And how are you three?" Oak asked towards the others.

"Great!" Serena exclaimed.

"I'm doing great too!" Bonnie chimed in.

"Nennenenenene!"

"Doing well, Professor, thank you," Clemont added.

"Good to hear," Oak smiled. "But we should really get a move on. The others are all excited to see you again, Ash. And to meet you all as well."

"I can't wait!" Bonnie cried happily.

"Me either," Ash agreed, his mind troubles momentarily forgotten in all the excitement.

Oak chuckled. "Off we go then."

He led them away from the airport towards a parking center across the street. As they walked, a group of three went bustling by. A woman with long red hair, glasses, and wearing a purple silk dress, a man with shoulder length lavender hair wearing a business suit, and what appeared to be a child. Ash couldn't really tell. Was that a child? It almost looked like it had fur? They cast him a wary glance before they hurried off in the other direction. What was that all about?

"They looked familiar," Bonnie pointed out, though no one said anything else.

"Alright everyone," Oak came to a stop by a green van. "Pile in and let's get going."

Soon the five of them were rolling down the highway, following a road that wound its way along the oceanside. Bonnie was practically glued to the window as she awed over the sight. To their left was a mountain, covered in foliage all the way to the top, and Clemont was staring at it.

"I must say, congratulations on winning the Kalos League, Ash," Oak spoke up. "Are you planning to take on the Elite Four Challenge?"

"You bet I am," Ash said, bringing up a closed fist. Pikachu mimicked his action. "Pikachu and I are going to go all the way."

"Pipikachu!"

"That's wonderful, Ash," Oak chuckled. "We'll be rooting for you from back home. When will the challenges be?"

"I don't know yet," Ash replied. "Diantha told me we could put it off for now so I could come here and see everyone."

"Diantha was always an understanding soul," Oak commented.

"Do you know Diantha, Professor?" Serena asked.

"Indeed I do," Oak nodded. "Though it has been some time since I've seen her."

"We should've invited her," Bonnie pulled her gaze away from the ocean. "That way you could've seen her again."

"It's not polite to invite other people to someone's wedding," Clemont told his sister. "Be happy Misty was kind enough to allow Ash to bring us."

"Misty sounds nice enough," Bonnie retorted. "I'm sure she wouldn't have cared."

"Nenne."

Ash snorted to himself at the thought of Misty being nice. Sure, she could be supportive, and caring, and kind, and loving, and….hm, maybe Misty really was a nice person? A tingling sensation told him that if he ever said that out loud Misty would never let him live it down. Pikachu flashed Ash a smug look like he could sense his trainers thoughts.

Something resembling a mix between a chirp and a squeal escaped Bonnie as she planted her face back against the window. A school of Horsea were swimming alongside them as they drove, and even Ash had to admit, it looked kinda cute.

Cute?! Since when did he start classifying things as cute?

They made small talk all the way until Professor Oak drove right into the middle of a large town. There were no skyscrapers or tall buildings. The tallest ones being only two stories high. Palm trees decorated the town, along with many other types of foliage Ash couldn't identify. Despite being a populated area, it looked just as beautiful as the rest of the island. They drove by person after person, families, and even many different types of Pokémon that Bonnie cooed over. Once, Ash saw an Officer Jenny, and that made him think of Brock. And how much he'd look like Bonnie right now if he were there, for different reasons of course.

"Right up there is where we're staying," Oak motioned ahead of them to a large hotel.

The Elemental Inn was two stories just like the rest of the buildings, only it stretched far down the beach. Each room faced the ocean, and had large balconies that guests could relax outside on.

"Wow," Clemont awed.

"We're staying there?" Bonnie asked excitedly.

"Is that where the wedding will be?" Serena questioned.

"The wedding itself will be held on another part of the island," Oak answered. "A few miles to the north is a marvelous cliffside that gives a perfect view of Fire, Ice, and Lightning Islands."

"It must be beautiful," Serena gushed, casting Ash a quick look before glancing away. He noticed, however, and once again the mind numbing buzz went off in his head. He was going to have to figure out what that was and put a stop to it.

Professor Oak pulled into the hotel parking lot, shutting the van off once they were parked. Ash quickly climbed out, Pikachu taking his usual perch. "I'll let you all check in," Oak told them. "Down the beach a ways is a gazebo. Delia and Brock have been preparing a late lunch for everyone. They'll all be delighted to see you once you're ready."

"Thanks, Professor! We'll hurry," Ash said.

"See you all soon," Oak waved and headed for the beach.

"Come on," Ash said to the others. "Let's get checked in."

"Right!" They exclaimed together.

* * *

"Look, Clemont! Our rooms are connected!"

Bonnie came sprinting into the boys' room through a door that did indeed connect the two massive rooms. Both were identical, with two king size beds and a large flat screen TV. A mini fridge and a small table big enough for two sat in the corner.

"Bonnie! You should knock before you come barging in," Clemont scolded his sister.

"Relax, big brother. I knew you weren't changing."

"That's not the point!"

Serena popped her head through the doorway, "So are we going soon? I'm starting to get hungry."

As if it were a calling, Ash's stomach let loose its usual growling. All other heads in the room faced him, and he scratched the back of his head with a chuckle. "Guess I am too." Realizing that quite possibly a buffet of Brock and his Mother's best dishes awaited him, he jumped up off his bed. "Let's get going!"

Without waiting for a reply, he sprinted across the room and flung open the door. Pikachu was hot on his heels as Ash raced down the steps and set foot on the beach. He turned the direction Professor Oak had indicated, the sand slowing down his progress as he ran. Which only served to fuel his hunger. The gazebo was in his sight almost immediately, and he could make out a handful of people beneath its top. As he raced closer, the deep brown eyes of his Mother looked up from her place behind a small table.

"Hey!" Ash called, raising a hand in the air.

"PiPikachu!"

The rest of the people turned to his shout, and Ash barely had time to see his Mother's beautiful smile before there was a flash of brown and something smaller than him tackled into his chest. He grunted with a loud ' _oof_ ' and stumbled backwards.

"ASH!" The smaller figure squealed. "I haven't seen you in ages!"

They pulled back, keeping the vice tight hug around him. A woman with light brown hair, and blue eyes, smiled up at him. She had a gentle face and wore a green bandanna around her head. An orange tank top adorned her torso, with a ripped pair of cargo shorts.

"May!" he greeted.

"Hey, Ash!" came another, familiar female voice.

Looking past May, Ash saw a petite, blue haired woman running towards them. She had dark blue eyes, a white beanie with a PokeBall on the front, a black tank top, and a pink skirt. May let go of Ash and moved aside as the petite woman made it to them and raised her palm high in the air.

Ash cracked another wide grin and slapped his palm against hers. "Hey, Dawn! How have you been?"

"Great! It's so good to see you!" she replied, pulling her hand back to herself. "And you too, Pikachu!"

"Pikapikachu!" The mouse squealed.

Before Ash could return the question, a friendly pat on the back caught his attention. "Staying out of trouble, Ash?"

"You know it, Brock," Ash answered as he turned to see his longtime friend. A tall man with broad shoulders and squinty eyes. He had spiky, dark brown hair and wore a green shirt with tan slacks.

"I imagine you're starving?"

"We could eat," Ash nodded, and Pikachu agreed.

Brock laughed. "Well, come on. We were just about to sit down."

As they started towards the gazebo, Dawn leaned over to Ash. "Can you believe Misty is getting married?"

There it was again. That mind numbing buzz. He shook his head in attempt to alleviate himself from the sensation and Dawn took that as her answer.

"Me either," she said. "But I guess one of us had to get married eventually."

Ash's hunger wavered in his stomach at the thought. Married eventually? He had never thought about that before. Serena's kiss came flooding into his mind and he felt his heartbeat quicken. If he hadn't been walking, he could've sworn he'd be shaking instead.

"I'm glad Misty found a really nice guy," May chimed in as they stepped underneath the gazebo. "Have you met Rudy yet?"

"Not yet," Dawn admitted. "You have?"

"I met him a few weeks ago when I went to Cerulean to help Misty make the final plans," May told her. She opened her mouth to say more, but a snarky voice cut her off.

"Geeze, Ashy Boy. You look like you've seen a Gengar."

Ash's mind may have been occupied with strange, terrifying, and all around awkward thoughts, but that voice would've been able to pull him out of a coma. He was sure of it. Mostly because it would've annoyed him greatly.

"Gary," Ash said, turning and taking in the rest of the gazebo's occupants for the first time.

The man he spoke of sat at the center table, smirking proudly over the fact that he'd managed to annoy Ash. He was a handsome man, with wild auburn hair and dark, powerful eyes. A sharp jawline accented his smirk nicely, and he wore a black button up shirt. Beside Gary sat Professor Oak, wearing his usual kind smile.

"That's all I get?" Gary asked. "No hey, or hello, or even a how you do? And I thought we were pals."

Despite how much Gary could annoy him, their friendship had certainly improved since Ash's journey through Johto. He laughed out loud at Gary's sarcasm.

"It's good to see all of you again," Ash spoke to the group. "I missed you guys."

"Pikachu pika pika!"

Delia walked around the small table beside the main one, which now Ash realized had an assortment of buns, hot dogs, and hamburgers on it. She approached her son and smiled at him gently. He returned the smile and then embraced her, with Pikachu hugging the side of her head.

"Oh, how I've missed you, Ash," Delia said as she pulled away.

"I've missed you too, Mom."

"That's so sweet!" The young voice cut through the air with a delighted squeak, and before anyone could identify the source, a lemon blonde haired girl rocketed into the gazebo and planted herself beside Delia.

"It's so nice to finally meet you in person, Mrs. Ketchum," Bonnie declared. "Ash has talked a lot about you."

Gary, and the others for that matter, blinked confusedly for a moment as he tried to put together where the girl had come from. "Who invited the small fry?"

Bonnie was smart enough to know he meant her, and she rounded on him. "For your information I'm one of Ash's best friends! Right?" She turned to face Ash with an almost pleading look.

The sudden action caught Ash off guard, but once he composed himself he smiled down at her. "Of course, Bonnie! Everyone here is."

"Good thing we made it just in time then," came Clemont's voice.

The entire group turned to see Clemont and Serena enter the gazebo, nervous smiles on their faces as they looked over so many people they hadn't met before. Not to mention the confused looks most of the group were casting towards them.

"Everyone," Ash spoke to the group as a whole. "This is Bonnie," he motioned down to the younger girl.

"And this is Dedenne!" She exclaimed, lifting her yellow bag. The small orange rodent popped out with a gleeful cry and a wave.

"That's Clemont," Ash continued. "He's Bonnie's older brother. He's also an inventor and the Leader of the Lumiose Gym."

"Hello," Clemont waved nervously.

"And Serena," Ash finished by motioning to her. "She's a really old friend who I ran into in Kalos. She wants to be a top Pokémon Performer."

"Hi everyone," the honey blonde greeted them all with a smile. "I've been so excited to meet you all."

"Any friend of Ash's is always welcome with us," Brock acknowledged her with a smile and a nod. "I'm Brock."

"Ash mentioned you a few times when he _finally_ got around to emailing me back," Dawn said, chastising Ash with a smug expression. "It's great to meet you all! I'm Dawn!"

Before she'd spoken, however, Ash noticed something in her demeanor. It was subtle, but he could've sworn he'd seen Dawn look at Serena with dislike. Now that he thought about it, he almost could've sworn May did the same thing.

"I'm May!" she greeted with a bright smile. "It's a pleasure."

Gary didn't greet them, instead he too was looking at Serena, but his expression was deep and studying. Which confused Ash even more. Gary narrowed his eyes, clearly racking his brain for something buried deep within. After an awkward moment, Professor Oak spoke for him. "This is Gary, my Grandson. You two have met before, at a summer camp of mine back when-"

"That's what it is!" Gary's sudden outburst caused the majority of them to jump. "I knew I recognized you from somewhere. You're that girl Ash found lost on Gramps' ranch."

"Oh," Serena's cheeks flushed and she starting tapping the tips of her fingers together. "Yeah, that was me."

Of course! Ash wanted to face palm himself. At least that explained Gary's look, now if only he could figure out why the girls had frowned at Serena.

"Well, take any seat you like," Delia spoke up. "We're all ready to eat now that everyone's here."

Ash frowned. Everyone? "Where's Misty?" He asked.

"She and Rudy are doing some last minute things for the wedding with Tracey's help," May replied before his Mother could could.

"They said they wouldn't be done in time to join us, but they'll be excited to see us all at dinner," Delia added.

Inwardly, Ash deflated. He'd been rather excited to see Misty again, even under such a strange circumstance. Oh well, at least he'd see her soon. Scratching the back of Pikachu's head, Ash sat down with the others to eat. Much to his enjoyment, everyone hit it off great. Despite what he may or may not have seen, Serena, Dawn, and May were getting along fantastically. They shot question after question to each other about Contests and Performances, comparing ideas and strategies. Even Delia joined in with a few remarkably good suggestions. It was a girl's dream conversation.

Gary and Clemont became lost in conversation, much to Ash's surprise. Gary took a major interest in the inventions the young inventor had come up with, and even offered to help get them patented into the world of research and development. He even had some complicated solution to fix the exploding problem. It hurt Ash's brain to try and understand their conversation.

Bonnie, meanwhile, bombarded Professor Oak with question after question about Pokémon, Kanto, Pallet Town, Johto, his poems, and just about anything she could rattle off. None of which seemed to bother the elderly man in the slightest. He answered each question with an eagerness only a true teacher could display.

As Ash took a rather large bite from his hot dog, and Pikachu licked happily on the ketchup bottle, Brock leaned over to Ash. "So," he spoke quietly so only Ash could hear. "You had fun in Kalos."

It wasn't a question, and that threw off Ash's brain. Muffled from his full mouth, he asked, "What do you mean?"

"Just that you got smooched by a beautiful lady on live TV, that's what."

Ash choked, swallowing too large of a bite much too fast. Thankfully, he was able to force it down before anyone else could notice him panic.

Brock laughed. "That was quite a spectacle to do right after winning the Kalos League, it was talked about more than your actual victory."

Ash hadn't though about that yet. That the League was broadcasted live…the ENTIRE world had seen Serena run up and…

His face started turning red.

"Hey, it's nothing to be embarrassed about," Brock chuckled. "She's pretty, and she seems to be a talented trainer. You picked a good one…"

Something in the way Brock trailed off made Ash look around frantically, and then snap his eyes back to his friend.

"You look a little sick," Brock pointed out.

"I'm fine," Ash said back a little too quickly.

"You had no idea that was going to happen," Brock realized, wanting to face palm himself as he should've known. "Have you at least talked about it with her?"

Ash gulped and then looked away to his plate.

"Ash-"

And then, Ash's stomach lurched as the worst possible thing could've happened right then and there, Gary spoke up. "Sooo, Ashy-Boy. What's this I've been hearing about a kiss on live TV?"

Why did he feel like he wanted to run and stick his head in the sand like a Doduo? Bashfully, he looked up to meet Gary's gaze, and from the corner of his eye, he could see Serena was cherry red and looking down at her plate. He also noticed the annoyed expressions had reappeared on Dawn and May's face.

"W-what?" Ash stammered.

"Don't be so embarrassed," Gary prodded. "I was starting to think you'd be a single man forever."

"I-I-I-"

Dawn shook off her expression and came to Ash's rescue. Typically, Ash would've expected his Mother or Professor Oak do have done so, but they seemed distracted with Bonnie at the moment.

"What about you, Gary?" Dawn asked. "Where's your girl then?"

Much to the surprise of everyone, Gary actually faltered with his answer. He appeared to debate himself, and finally said, "There's only ever been one, and she's been interested in someone else."

The honesty behind his words were eery, since it was coming from Gary. Ash could hardly remember a time he'd spoken in such a vulnerable tone. How strange? Was the world coming to an end or something? What was with everyone's strange behavior?

Brock cleared his throat, "Hey, May."

The brunette looked surprised to be addressed so suddenly. "Yes?"

"Where's Max?" He asked, and Ash could feel the relief washing over him. Brock was coming to the rescue by changing the subject. At least someone's behavior was normal. "Is he flying in later?"

"Oh, no. He couldn't make it," May revealed. "He's competing in the Sinnoh League this year and they're just now starting their preliminary rounds. He couldn't get away long enough. He sends us all his best though!"

"That's a shame," Brock said.

He continued speaking, but Ash didn't hear the rest. Serena, who was still furiously blushing, looked up and caught Ash's eye. He quickly looked away out of some strange instinctual fear, and immediately felt bad. He could feel something strange stirring inside him, but he had no clue what it could be. What on Earth was going on with him? He'd just ate, he couldn't still be hungry?

"Clemont!" Bonnie's voice cut through the air. "I want to go see the shrine!"

"Huh?" Was all the lemon haired inventor was able to say, as he was completely thrown off by the sudden demand.

"Professor Oak just told me there's a shrine on the southern cliffs where the wedding will be, and I want to see it!"

"Nennennene!"

She stood up in an attempt to make her point of how badly she wanted to go.

"Well," Clemont put a finger to his chin. "I suppose we should see the sights while we're here."

Wanting something to get away from all these strange feelings, Ash imitated Bonnie and stood up. "Yeah! I want to see it too! How about you, Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" The yellow mouse squealed while jumping up and climbing onto Ash's shoulder.

"I'll go with you guys," Brock rose to his feet. "We still have a lot more catching up to do."

"Coming, Serena?" Bonnie asked happily, turning to the older girl.

Serena blushed a little more and cast a glance to Ash before looking away. "I'm not sure. I may just hang out at the hotel for a while."

Guilt penetrated Ash like a spear. As dense as he was, even he could tell she didn't want to go so he wouldn't be uncomfortable. Despite whatever was raging inside of him, Serena was still his friend, and he wanted her to enjoy herself.

"Come on, Serena!" He urged, clenching his fist up high. "It'll be fun!"

Her blue eyes traveled back over to him, and seeing his determined smile, she couldn't help but nod. "Alright."

As the honey blonde rose to her feet, Ash noticed May puff out her cheeks and frown. The brunette then checked her watch and blanched. "Dawn!" the bluenette jumped at being addressed so suddenly. "We have to meet Misty in fifteen minutes!"

"What?!" Dawn shouted. "How did we lose track of the time?"

"I don't know, but we better go!" May replied as she shot to her feet.

"What's going on?" Ash tried to ask as the two girls sprinted out of the gazebo.

"Bridesmaid duties!" Dawn shouted back. "Have fun at the shrine! We'll see you guys at the festival tonight!"

Then they were too far gone to hear anymore, their speed was remarkable. Ash could only assume Misty's temper was exactly as he remembered for May and Dawn to run off so suddenly.

"Always in a hurry," Delia smiled. "Just like you, Ash."

"When am I in a hurry?" He asked, and immediately took a step back as every pair of eyes landed on him with challenging glints. "Okay, okay. Maybe I get a little excited."

"Can we go now? I'm ready to see the shrine!" Bonnie stomped her foot in irritation.

"Patience, Bonnie," Clemont scolded as he got to his feet. "We have to be respectful of others."

"An impatient mind will always learn the greatest lessons," Oak spoke up with a smile.

Bonnie stuck her tongue out at her brother, looking proud of the fact that Professor Oak backed her up.

"But they also take the longest to mature and grow," Oak added with a laugh.

Before either Bonnie or Clemont could comment, and further delay their departure, Brock turned to Gary and asked, "You want to come too?"

Gary let out a short snort, and rolled his eyes. "As much as I've enjoyed being a part of this circus show, I've actually got some things I need to take care of." He stood up and started walking away, with a wave, he added, "smell ya later."

Some part of Ash was grateful Gary wasn't joining them, but another part was saddened. Even if Gary got underneath his skin at times, he was still a friend Ash hadn't seen in a while.

"Alright then," Brock said to the rest of them. "Shall we get going?"

"Yeah!" Ash and Bonnie exclaimed together.

"Don't forget about dinner and the festival!" Delia called to the group as they left the gazebo.

"You got it, Mrs. Ketchum," Brock called back.

"The festival?" Ash asked aloud as Bonnie ran ahead of the group to jump and run circles along the beach. Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder to join her and Dedenne.

"The Elemental Festival," Brock replied. "An annual tradition here on Shamouti."

"I read about it from our in flight pamphlet," Clemont chimed in. "It's a celebration of the Island's local legends. The people of Shamouti hold the festival to share their history and culture with tourists."

"That sounds like so much fun," Serena awed. "We get to go tonight?"

Brock nodded as he watched Dedenne circle around Bonnie's feet and made her giggle. "Misty and Rudy wanted to have dinner with all the arriving guests at the festival."

As cool as the festival sounded, the mention of Rudy's name distracted Ash. He'd read it from the wedding invitation, and something in the back of his mind told him that name sounded familiar. Where had he heard it before? And why did it make him feel…jealous?

"I agree, it sounds entertaining," Clemont nodded, adjusting his glasses. "I'm eager to see it."

"Maybe there will be a dance!" Bonnie shouted back to them, apparently able to hear their conversation.

"A dance?" Serena's cheeks lit up red, and she cast Ash a glance from the corner of her eye.

He himself felt a little strange at the thought. Last time they attended something like that, he went to dance with Serena but the song ended. Should he dance with her tonight? To make up for not being able to last time? But…would she kiss him again?

He shook his head, ridding himself of that thought. Why would he even worry about it anyway? It was just a dance. He'd been to them before, and he'd survived them then. He could survive one more. Seriously, he really wasn't a fan of all these weird new thoughts his brain was forcing him to have. Pokemon! Gym battles! Challenging the Elite Four! There, that was much better.

"From what I've learned so far," Brock began. "The Elemental Festival is deeply rooted from one specific legend."

"And what's that?" Ash asked.

"Ancient prophets of Shamouti apparently predicted the end of the world," Brock explained. "It's said that only their Chosen One can prevent that from happening."

"How do they do that?" Serena asked.

Bonnie had stopped running ahead, lagging back so she could hear the conversation better.

"Well," Brock scratched his head as he tried to remember. "I know each year since, the Islands residents have selected someone to collect three treasures and bring them back to the very shrine we're going to see. They've only ever picked outsiders though, so something tells me it's an attraction for the tourists."

"For tourists or not, it'd be so cool to be selected as the Chosen One," Ash awed.

"I'm not so sure," Clemont said, stumbling on the sand, but righting himself. "That sounds like a lot of pressure to have on your shoulders."

"Come on, Clemont," Serena smiled at him reassuringly. "Like Brock said, it's just fun and games for us tourists."

"Yeah, Brother! Where's your sense of adventure?" Bonnie asked with a smug smile. Clemont opened his mouth to reply, but the young girl spotted something in the distance. "Hey! I see another Island!"

Sure enough, the cliffside of Lightning Island could be seen emerging around the bend up ahead. With a delighted giggle, Bonnie sprinted forward. Dedenne and Pikachu followed her with shouts of excitement, and even Ash felt that deep spark of adventure.

"Let's hurry, guys!" He exclaimed, and took off after Bonnie and the Pokémon.

"Do we have to run?" Clemont asked in a defeated manner while Serena giggled.

"You can do it! Let's go!" She broke into a run after Ash and the others.

"Hey, wait for me," Brock called and he hurried after.

With a dejected sigh, Clemont breathed in deep and did the same. Rounding the bend along the beach, Ash easily caught up with Bonnie, and just like her, gasped at the sight. A large granite staircase rose up from the sand, turning and bending to line up perfectly with a large, circular stone platform. The tip of a tall, slender volcano could be seen rising up from behind what appeared to be stone pillars on the platform. Off to the their right was Lightning Island.

Pikachu and Dedenne were already scurrying up the stone stairs, so Ash and Bonnie didn't waste any time in following them. It was a higher climb than it appeared to be, and Ash could hear Clemont breathing heavily at the bottom. Step by step Ash took until he placed his foot onto the flat surface at the top. The sight was enough to make him gasp again.

In the center of the platform sat a large shrine that was carved from stone connected to the platform itself. About chest height on Ash, a boxlike area separated the solid bottom from a tablet on top. It had three windows cut from the back, with unique intricate designs around them. Three small stone stands sat at the base of each window, obviously there to hold something that currently was missing. In a wide circle around the shrine were indeed pillars. Round in design, with a large flat top. Inside the perimeter they created was a luscious garden with an assortment of dozens of different colored flowers. One lone pathway led from the staircase up to the shrine.

Bonnie sprinted ahead with the Pokémon, while Ash leisurely walked up to the shrine. "This place is sooo beautiful!" Bonnie squealed as she dropped to her knees to smell one of the flowers. Dedenne followed her example.

Ash, along with Pikachu, approached the shrine as a strange sense of foreboding fell across him. Like it was calling out to him for some reason. As he got closer, he could see that the intricate designs around the small windows were actually unique to each one. The far right one had lightning bolts carved around it, while the middle had snow crystals and the left had flames. His eyes traveled up to the tablet above, and he noticed a long transcript carved into it. It was in a language he had never seen before, not that he knew very many different languages anyway.

"It's incredible," Serena's voice made him jump. She had walked up beside him to see the shrine as well, and she was wearing an awed expression as her blue eyes examined the stone structure. He had a sneaky guess he'd been wearing that exact same expression.

"It sure is," Ash agreed, returning his gaze up to the tablet. "Wonder what that says."

"I don't know," she squinted at it as if that would help. "I've never seen the Shamouti language before."

A triumphant chuckle behind them from Clemont ignited a certain flare of excitement in Ash. He knew that laugh all too well. As did Serena, and she subconsciously took a step back.

"The future is now thanks to science!" Clemont exclaimed, joining the two of them at the shrine. "Allow me to introduce-" he shuffled through his bag, and produced a small rectangular device that had a large dish like attachment on the front. "The Ultimate Language Translator!"

"Well, that's not the lamest name he's ever had," Bonnie sighed as Ash and Pikachu gushed over the device and Serena took another step back with a nervous chuckle.

Brock on the other hand, was utterly lost. "What's going on?"

"This is another one of Clemont's inventions," Bonnie told him. "You may want to stay back."

"Why?"

"Just wait."

"Now, by extending the scanner," Clemont explained as he positioned himself in front of the tablet and pulled the dish looking piece further out. "And activating the translator-" he turned the device on and the screen whirred to life. "We can begin and see what this says."

A green light erupted from the dish and began scanning over each carving on the tablet. The device in his hands buzzed and dinged as Clemont gazed at it with a look of pure concentration. Ash slowly peered over his shoulder, and Pikachu climbed up to his usual perch so he could see. Even Serena's curiosity overpowered her caution and she leaned over Clemont's other shoulder.

"And we should be getting some results….now!" Clemont grinned wide as the first few words began to appear. He started to read them off, "Disturb not the harmony of-"

A loud alarm blared from the device and the screen glitched out. Serena screamed as the device exploded in a loud boom, covering them in a large cloud of dust.

"Ash!" Brock shouted in alarm, and raced forward.

The dust started to settle, and he found Ash sitting on his rear with Pikachu beside him. Both were coughing and waving their hands in front of them in an attempt to rid the smoke from their lungs. Also, their hair sat straight out on end.

Brock bent down beside the duo, and cast a glance over to Serena, who was also on her rear and coughing. "You guys alright?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Ash told him with his best attempt at a smile.

Serena groaned through her coughs and attempted to straighten her hair. "I should've known better."

"I thought I had all the bugs worked out this time for sure," Clemont whined, sitting at the base of the shrine. His glasses were covered in soot, hiding his eyes.

Brock looked between them all quizzically. "This time?"

"Clemont's inventions always explode," Bonnie replied, walking up the group. Dedenne had hidden in her bag and popped his head out, nodding in agreement.

"It's a curse," he moaned, removing his glasses to clean them.

A moment of silence fell between them all as the affected ones straightened themselves back to normal, and then Brock broke into laughter. He laughed so hard he fell over onto his own rear so that he was sitting with the others. The three of them and Pikachu shared confused looked before casting their stares at Brock. Then Bonnie giggled, and that caused a chain reaction amongst them all. They laughed and laughed until Ash felt tears well up in his eyes. Only when he was finally able to get enough control over himself did he inhale largely and turn his gaze out towards the ocean.

As he looked upon the three islands Fire, Ice, and Lightning, and the wind ruffled his hair, he smiled wide. Despite the strange thoughts that forced their way into his mind lately, he had amazing friends, a great view, and his trusty pal beside him.

This was going to be a great weekend on Shamouti. He could just feel it.

* * *

 **And that is the official launch of this retelling. Hope everyone enjoyed it and is excited for more. Misty will be making her debut next chapter, so woohoo!**

 **I feel I should explain the characters a little. While I will do my best to maintain them and keep them in character, naturally some of them will have changed over the years. I don't really have exact ages, but for the most part we can assume our main cast are all in their twenty's (Except for Bonnie of course!) People mature and grow, so I plan to show that. I won't have them do anything that feels out of place, so don't worry :)**

 **Welp, until the next chapter! As always, let me know what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

"And that should cover the last of the details, Miss Waterflower. Is there anything else?"

"Nope! That's it. I can't thank you enough, Mrs. Trout."

"No need, helping plan weddings is what I do for a living," the elderly lady said with a bright smile. She sat behind a large wooden desk and was closing a thick binder. Three people sat opposite her in the small office.

"Be sure to send the bill to my address on Trovita Island," a tall man with windswept, auburn hair said as he stood up. He wore a black dress shirt with a tan vest.

Beside him on his right sat a beautiful, orange haired woman. She had glistening aquamarine eyes that were accented by her happy smile. A light blue shirt was hidden beneath a short yellow jacket, which somehow went together well with her dark blue jean shorts. On her left sat a man with parted, dark green hair. He wore a large green t-shirt and blue jeans.

"Of course, Mr. Birnbaum," Mrs. Trout nodded at him. "I look forward to your wedding day."

"See you then," the orange haired woman smiled at Mrs. Trout and stood up as well. Soon, the three of them were walking outside into the middle of town. The afternoon sun felt great on her skin, and Misty couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

"Now see," the tall man spoke to her. "Didn't Tracey and I say it wouldn't be so bad."

Misty sent him a mock glare. "I didn't say it was going to be bad, I said I was fed up with all the tedious tasks."

"Careful, Rudy," Tracey said. "We don't want to fire up her temper two days before the wedding."

"Speaking of a fire," Misty said as the group started walking down the sidewalk. "Maybe we should have a big one at the wedding? So I can roast Tracey afterwards."

"Sounds good," Rudy agreed. "Just make sure you wait until he's done with Groomsman duties."

A nervous expression covered Tracey's face and he let out a light laugh. Misty smiled and checked her watch, frowning when she saw the time. "Damn, I'm supposed to meet May and Dawn in five minutes. You two will have to do the rest without me."

"May and Dawn?" Tracey questioned.

"They wanted me to join them for something," Misty explained. "They wouldn't say what, only that it was important."

"Don't worry about the rest," Rudy said to her, stopping along the roadside. "Tracey and I can take care of it. All that's left is to confirm the catering times anyway. Go ahead and see what they want. Who knows, maybe you'll have some fun."

"You say that like I never have fun," Misty retorted, folding her arms.

"You never do," Rudy laughed, meeting her glare with a smug smile.

They stared each other off, making Tracey shift in place as he waited for one of them to break.

"Fine, you win," Misty relinquished, as if it were the hardest thing in the world to admit. "Just make sure the caterers know to bring enough food."

"And you have fun," Rudy said before making a shooing motion.

A giggle escaped her before she could stop it, and knowing that was the sign of true defeat, Misty leaned in to gave Rudy a quick kiss before turning and running off.

"I'll see you tonight!" Rudy called after her. "Love you!"

"Love you too!" She called back, and then focused on sprinting ahead.

There wasn't much of a crowd, but there were a few people out and about, and she didn't want to run into them. She'd visited Shamouti a few times with Rudy since the engagement, and sort of knew the ins and out of the streets. Block after block she ran, somehow timing herself just right to hit the crosswalk signals and avoid having to stop. A Nidoran burst from a shrub not far ahead of her, and squeaked in surprise at the rate she was approaching. Misty pushed herself up with one foot and soared over the small Pokémon. It chittered after her angrily as she continued on.

She reached the address May and Dawn had sent to her PokeGear only ten minutes late. Upon looking at the building however, she had to double check to make sure. Why? It was a bar. What on Earth would they want to meet her at a bar for?

Only after triple checking to make sure she was in the correct spot did she walk inside. It was a dainty little place, with ornaments from Shamouti's culture decorating the walls. Birdlike masks, tall walking sticks carved with various designs, and many different seashells of all sizes strung along the trim. The place wasn't very packed, with maybe a dozen people total, and that might have been a major factor in her being tackled into a hug almost immediately upon entering.

"Misty! You made it," a young brown haired, blue eyed girl yelled with joy. She wore a strapless sunflower dress, and the top of her head came up to just below Misty's shoulders.

"Hey there, Mahri," Misty greeted Rudy's younger sister. "What are you doing here?"

"Dawn and May told me to come," Mahri explained.

"They did, did they?"

"Mhm, come on, there on the other side."

Mahri took Misty's hand and started to lead her across the bar. If Dawn and May wanting to meet up in a bar didn't surprise her, then the sight she beheld now certainly did. There were the two, sitting at a large table and laughing together at something funny that had been said. Across from them sat all three of Misty's sisters, Lily, Violet, and Daisy. And if that wasn't odd enough, Rudy's Mother, Cindy, was sitting beside them. Her green eyes swiveled up as Misty and Mahri approached.

"There you are, Misty," she said. "We were starting to wonder."

"Hey, Cindy," Misty smiled at the dark haired woman, then cast her gaze around to all the others. Her sisters were smiling and waving, while Dawn and May finally noticed Misty was there. "What's all this about?"

She didn't want to sound rude, but she was utterly flabbergasted and had no clue.

"Well," May started. "Since we haven't had a chance yet, and tomorrow will be filled with rehearsals and dinners and all that, we decided to have your bachelorette party today!"

"It was Mahri's idea," Dawn added, then corrected, "but the bar was ours."

"This just like, solidifies the truth," Daisy said. "Our little sister is getting married."

And with that, the three Sensational Sisters broke into sobs. Something told Misty they might already be a little tipsy. Imagine that.

"Are you surprised?" Mahri asked Misty, ignoring the sisters. Everyone was pretty much used to their antics by this stage in life.

Misty smiled down at Mahri, "Yes. Yes I am."

"We tried to plan a few things," Dawn said. "But decided we could just do whatever sounds fun."

Part of Misty wanted to tell them she appreciated all the effort, but there was just too much that she still needed to do before Saturday. And the more she thought about it, the more she slowly convinced herself Rudy and Tracey would be just fine without her.

"Whatever sounds fun, huh?" Misty put a fingertip to her chin. "Well, I could use a drink."

And much to her surprise, it wasn't Dawn, or May, or her sisters, but Cindy who spoke up. "A round of shots for all of us then!"

* * *

Serena gasped aloud as Bonnie squealed with delight. After they'd dusted themselves off, Brock recommended taking some of the Island's pathways through the trees. Along the way they'd seen many different kinds of Pokémon, some Serena had never seen before. Furret, Aipom, and even a Chansey to name a few. But those weren't what had her and Bonnie gasping.

After coming out into a clearing, they'd stumbled upon a thin waterfall that crashed into a large rock halfway up a cliffside. This created a sparkling rain effect that cast a rainbow across the small pond at its base. Many water Pokemon were relaxing along the shoreline. A Golduck was stretched out over a rock, while a Horsea swam by. An Elekid and Mankey were playing on the other side, and a Geodude was climbing up the cliff face.

"This is incredible," Serena awed.

"It sure is," Ash agreed, coming up beside her.

"Pikachuuu."

"If I remember right, this place is called _Ma'luhia Ka Wai_ ," Brock informed them. "Or Peaceful Waters."

"Peaceful is right!" Bonnie squealed and raced forward. Dedenne chittered happily and jumped from her bag.

"Be careful, Bonnie," Clemont called, emerging from the tree line breathing hard. "Don't upset the Pokémon."

"Relax, Clemont," Bonnie called back as she made it to the water's side with Dedenne. "I just wanna play!"

"Hey, Brock?" Ash asked, turning to the man. Serena imitated his action, an almost pleading look in her eye. "Think we have enough time to hang out here for a bit?"

Brock checked his watch. "I believe so. The Festival doesn't start for another two hours, and dinner for three. So we can probably do an hour."

"Alright!" Ash and Serena shouted together, with Pikachu joining. Only Ash continued, "Greninja, Bayleef, Buizel, I choose you!"

He tossed three PokeBalls high into the air, and they burst open in three distinct flashes. His three Pokemon materialized by the pond, giving their distinct cries in greeting.

"You guys ready to have some fun?" Ash asked them, to which they replied happily.

"Great idea, Ash," Serena admired, reaching back to retrieve her own PokeBalls. "Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon, let's go!"

"Alright, Bunnelby, Chespin, Luxray," Clemont joined in. "Come on out."

"You too, Crobat, Croagunk, and Marshtomp," Brock shouted.

The immediate area was alight with the flashing of multiple PokeBalls, and soon there was a small crowd of their Pokémon. At first, many of the wild Pokémon seemed wary, but they soon came around after Pikachu and Dedenne went over to persuade them. Bonnie played tag with a large group of Pokémon, and currently was running from Pancham. Ash stripped his jacket and shirt off to join Greninja and Buizel in swimming, while Brock conversed with Clemont as the inventor tinkered on a small contraption.

Serena sat on the pond's edge beside her napping Sylveon, swirling her bare feet in the water. She watched Ash surface, gasping for air before he let out a laugh and dove back underwater. Greninja's shadow went speeding by, and Ash turned to follow. While at first she was smiling, it soon fell as the thought of Ash entered her mind. She could still feel the way his lips had felt against hers, and it made her blush. So what was the problem? Neither her, nor Ash, had yet to bring up the kiss. Which concerned her.

She was the one who initiated it, so, since he hadn't brought it up did that mean he wasn't interested? A sharp pain hit her heart, and she quickly shoved that thought away. A hand went up to the blue ribbon tied around her neck, and her eyes found Ash's shadow as he changed course after Buizel. He was Ash. He rarely talked about these kind of things. In fact, Serena was sure he never had before. She couldn't even be one hundred percent sure she'd given him his first real kiss. Maybe he just didn't know how to talk about it? That was probably it.

But then…did that mean she was going to have to be the one to bring it up?! Her eyes widened at the thought. How was she supposed to do that? How could she bring it up in a way that didn't sound weird? Ash was already acting a little differently towards her, she didn't want to accidentally push him away for good.

 _You won't!_

Her own inner voice scolded her. Of course Ash wouldn't do that, he was too much of a caring person to treat her in such a way. But, in the end, he was still human. He would have to make some choices before long.

Serena felt herself subconsciously gulp. How long was before long? They were going to a wedding in a few days time. Maybe being there would spark something in Ash and he would-

"Are you okay, Serena? You're really red?" came Bonnie's voice right beside her.

Serena jumped harshly and squealed in alarm as her rear slid off the rock she was sitting on. With a loud splash, she vanished under the water. It wasn't very deep, shallow enough that once she planted her feet she could stand up out of the water at waist height, but the damage had been done. She was soaking wet.

"I'm so sorry!" Bonnie worriedly said. "Are you okay?"

"Veon?" Sylveon cooed with a concerned expression, having woken up form Serena's shout.

Serena looked from the young girl down at her sopping wet shirt and cardigan. Droplets of water dripped from the sides of her honey blonde hair as her hat drifted by on the water's surface. She closed her eyes and sighed in defeat. "I didn't bring a change of clothes with me out here."

"I'm really, really sorry," Bonnie pleaded.

"It's okay," Serena looked up to her. "Just help me out."

Bonnie offered her hand while Sylveon offered one of her ribbon-like feelers. Serena took both of them and pulled herself up, placing a foot on dry land again. Ash came swimming up behind her as she stepped fully out of the water. "Are you alright, Serena?"

"I'm fine," she replied dejectedly. The last thing she ever wanted was to embarrass herself in front of Ash. "Just a little wet."

"I'd say more than a little," came Brock's voice as he approached to check out the commotion. "You're going to catch a cold if we don't get you into dry clothes."

"All my extra clothes are back at the hotel," Serena told him, raising her arms up to fling some of the water away.

Brock checked his watch. "Well, our hour is about up. If we hurry, we can make it back for you to change and head to the festival once you're dry."

"How far out are we?"

"Maybe forty-five minutes back to the hotel," Brock told her reluctantly.

Serena groaned and hung her head, feeling a few strands of her hair slap against her cheeks.

"Clemont, do you have anything that could dry Serena off?" Bonnie asked in a small voice. It was evident she felt bad.

Clemont sadly shook his head. "I don't, sorry."

Ash climbed out of the pond and frowned for a moment before he cracked a wide grin. "I've got an idea!"

The others looked to him curiously as he unclipped another PokeBall and tossed it. After the flash, a ferocious orange dragon roared loudly.

"Hey, Charizard, think you can help Serena dry off her clothes?" Ash asked. It was apparent that being asked to do such a small task irritated the fight loving Pokemon, but seeing the sad look on Serena's face must've melted something in Charizard's heart. Or he really was just a big softie.

Charizard nodded, and it wasn't long before Brock and Clemont had a large screen hung up to hide Serena from view so she could strip out of her wet clothes and hang them over the flame on Charizard's tail. Bonnie and Dedenne stood guard outside the barrier, standing beside Charizard who only had his tail under the sheet. The rest of the group recalled their Pokémon and Ash put his own clothes back on as he air dried.

Serena fanned her skirt over the flames, taking care not to singe the fabric. She could see everyone's silhouette moving around outside the sheet, and she could make out Ash as he placed his cap back on his head and Pikachu scurried up to his shoulder. It was a weird thought knowing he was five feet away while she was in her underwear, with only a thin barrier between them. Usually they were in separate tents, or rooms at the Pokémon Center.

Her clothes were still a little damp as she pulled them back on, but they felt much better than being completely soaked. She emerged from behind the sheet just as everyone else seemed fully ready to head back. "Alright!" She called. "Let's hurry so we can get to the festival!"

* * *

"So where are Iris and Cilan?" Dawn asked as she sat down her now empty glass.

"Who?" May inquired.

"Cilan couldn't make it," Misty explained to Dawn, picking up her own drink and taking a large sip. "He had an emergency come up with his line of work, and I doubt Iris has even checked her email. She's as bad as Ash."

Dawn nodded in agreement, and said, "It's a shame they couldn't make it. It would've been great to see them again."

May looked back and forth between the two, waiting for one of them to answer her. Misty took pity on the poor girl and did, "Iris and Cilan were Ash's traveling companions in Unova. I met them when they came to Kanto, and I've bumped into them a few times since. But anyway-" Misty turned to Dawn. "It would've been great to see them. I'm sure Ash would've been excited."

"Oh!" May slapped her palm to the table. "Speaking of Ash! He made it in today."

Misty's eyes widened, and a flutter of a smile graced her lips. "Ash made it?"

"Yeah, he showed up just as we were about to eat lunch," Dawn added. "He brought his Kalos friends. They seem really nice."

"The little girl was so adorable," May cooed. "And her Dedenne was such a cutie!"

May and Dawn went into an explanation of the Kalos natives, but Misty's mind had wandered. Ash had made it! She would be lying if she claimed she hadn't been worried. Her fear was that he'd be caught up in some adventure and miss the whole thing altogether. But that hadn't happened, he was here on Shamouti. Something deep in her heart tickled, and she let out one light laugh.

"I haven't, like, seen that face in a long time," Daisy leaned across the table and stared at Misty. "Is someone, like, happy her long lost boyfriend is back?"

Misty's smile fell and her cheeks flushed. "I'm getting married! You think those stupid jokes would be dead!"

"Chill out, little sis," Violet laughed. "She's only kidding."

"Yeah," Lily chimed in. "Why so sensitive, Misty?"

"It's cause she, like, luffs him," Daisy cooed.

Misty unleashed a string of curses and phrases that would've made any priest faint on the spot. Mahri looked from each one of the Waterflower women with curiosity as Dawn leaned over to whisper an explanation.

"Ash and Misty used to travel together. They're really good friends and people like to pick on them about it."

"Ash?" Mahri repeated, then her face lit up with recognition. "I remember Ash! He was with her when I first met Misty." And then she frowned as if she'd remembered something unpleasant.

May waved her hand in front of Misty and pulled her away from Daisy. The orange haired woman was seething, baring her teeth as she growled more insults all the while Daisy just chuckled.

"Let's get us another drink," May suggested, and pulled Misty away from the table.

"They _infuriate_ me!" Misty growled, stepping inline beside May as they approached the bar.

"They do it because they know it bothers you," May pointed out.

"It doesn't bother me!" Misty defended much too quickly, making May deadpan.

"Anyway," she started slowly, getting behind three other people. "Did you happen to catch Ash's final match in the Kalos League?"

Misty dropped her arms and shook her head. "I didn't get the chance too."

"Well, he won," May informed her. "Ash won the Kalos League."

It was as if a happy bomb detonated inside Misty. Ash won?! He finally won?! All those years had paid off, he was that much closer to achieving his dream. She couldn't help but feel a great sense of pride for her best friend. She'd have to remember to congratulate him when she saw him tonight.

"Hey," Misty said as she remembered. "He does know about the festival and dinner tonight, right?"

May nodded as they stepped closer to the bar. "He's with Brock. He won't miss it so long as they don't get separated."

Misty almost didn't catch it, but there was a hiccup in May's attitude. Like there was a piece of information she was holding back. This caused her to frown. "Everything alright?"

"Hm?" May hummed and turned her eyes on Misty's questioning stare. She hesitated and then laughed, turning to the now open bartender. "Two of your strongest drinks, please!"

That was strange. May could get away with it for now, but Misty would be bringing it up again later when May least expected it. She also made a mental note to sit down and watch Ash's match when she made it back to her room tonight.

As the duo made their way back to their table, Cindy looked up from her conversation with Dawn. "There you ladies are," she said. "We better get a move on if we want to make it to the festival."

Both Misty and May cast a glance to the large clock that sat above the bar, and upon seeing the festival did indeed start soon, they shared a dejected look before turning their gazes down to the fresh drinks in their hands. Knowing what they had to do if they didn't want to waste them, they put the cups to their lips and downed their entire drink in three gulps. May coughed a few times while Misty could feel her throat burning. She didn't cough, however, having a little more practice at downing alcohol than her brunette friend.

"Alright, let's do it," Misty said as she sat her cup down on the table. No doubt she'd be feeling that later. Especially if she kept drinking throughout the festival.

The entire squad of girls made their way outside, feeling the nip of the night air approaching. Deep red and orange was strung across the sky, decorated by a back drop of purple and blue. The palm trees danced in the wind, silhouetted against the sharp contrast of colors. Shamouti really had a beautiful sunset.

Cindy led the way towards the middle of town, talking with Mahri and the Sensational Sisters while Misty, Dawn, and May lagged behind. Their topics ranged from the wedding, to Pokemon battles and contests, to Misty's time in the Orange Islands with Ash and Tracey. Up ahead, a firework went off, followed by another and then another. Misty was informed enough to know the fireworks indicated the official start of the Elemental Festival. The multicolored sparks glittering across the sky was beautiful, but not as beautiful as the funnel cake smell that just wafted by. Was she drooling?

Well, Misty wasn't, but May was. "I can smell food!" The brunette exclaimed, picking up her pace.

"Oh, that will be the Fire Cakes," Cindy said to May.

"Fire Cakes?"

"Basically a Funnel Cake," Cindy explained. "But they're coated in a special icing that gets roasted by all kinds of Fire Pokémon."

"Roasted Icing?" Dawn asked, making a face.

"It sounds amazing!" May squealed with stars in her eyes. Then she gasped as the group rounded the final corner onto the main road through town.

Stalls and vendors of every kind lined the entire street. Multicolored lanterns had been strung up to zigzag across, and dozens of Elemental themed banners hung from the wires and street posts. Men and women in furry costumes with large birdlike masks, danced through the crowd of tourists and locals. A large blow up Gyarados floated above the buildings, its wide maw pointed down at the crowd. Somewhere that Misty couldn't see was a band, playing what sounded very much like an Island tune. She could hear drums, flutes, and something that sounded close to maracas.

"I see the Fire Cakes!" May exclaimed. "Come on, Misty!"

"Huh?" Misty was shoved from behind as May planted her palms against her back. "Hey!"

There was no stopping May once she had food on the brain, she was a lot like Ash in that regard. Guess all there was to do was laugh and go along for the ride. Dawn bustled to keep up, her petite frame making it hard to do so in the crowd, but she managed to stay right behind Misty and May. As the three made it up to the stall, Misty noticed they'd lost the rest of their group. Oh well, at least they all knew when and where to be for dinner. She'd see them again then.

"IT'S SO GOOD!"

Misty jumped at May's sudden shout, and the brunette spun around to look at her wide eyed. Orangish red frosting was on her cheek as stars danced in May's eyes, the Fire Cake in her hand missing a large bite.

"I want to try it," Dawn hurried up to the vendor and quickly ordered one.

The man behind the counter laughed and handed her one. As Dawn took a tiny bite, May scarfed down the rest of her own cake. The bluenette's reaction mirrored May's, and she squealed in delight as her own eyes widened. In a very unlike Dawn manner, she jammed the rest of the cake into her mouth.

"How about you, Miss?" the Fire Cake salesman asked Misty with a smile.

Misty laughed as both other girls started licking their fingers, and she turned to the man. "How could I say no after that display?"

* * *

"They're so pretty," Serena awed as the fireworks popped overhead.

Ash, Pikachu, and Brock looked up with the same expression as more and more went off in the night sky. Dedenne chittered and pointed excitedly as one burst into the shape of himself, making Bonnie and Clemont giggle.

"Get your Shamouti Souvenirs! Beautifully crafted tikis and ornaments from locals! Five bucks a piece!"

A red haired woman walked by, followed by a lavender haired man. They had boxes of knickknacks strapped around their shoulders, and the woman was holding out a small tiki head. At their feet was a hairy kid holding a cash register and counting out change.

"Oh! Clemont, we should get one!" Bonnie shouted, tugging on his sleeve to pull him through the crowd.

"Easy, Bonnie. There will be plenty."

"What do you think, Ash?" Serena asked, missing the Lumiose Siblings' exchange. "Isn't this festival great?"

"It sure is," Ash nodded, spotting a local woman crafting bird masks for a group of youngsters. "But I'm ready for dinner."

"Pikachuuu," the mouse agreed.

After they made it back to the hotel, and Serena had put on fresh clothes, the group made their way to the festival. It had started by the time they arrived, and they wasted no time in getting involved. They'd tried snacks, checked out merchandise stalls, listened to stories from Shamouti's past, and even watched a couple of fire dancers and their Charmeleon. Even though Ash and Pikachu enjoyed everything, their stomachs were starting to get the best of them.

"We've still got a bit," Brock said to Ash. "We should find something to do here until then."

"I see game booths up ahead!" Serena exclaimed, pointing in front of her. "Come on!"

She grabbed Ash's wrist and pulled as she took off. The action was innocent, and unintentional, but for some reason it caused Ash's gut to rumble. It didn't feel like his usual hungry rumble, and he didn't feel sick, so what was it? How come lately Serena was making him feel uneasy? He'd traveled all over Kalos with her, what was the deal? Was it the kiss?

The moment that thought hit his mind, his stomach dropped and he felt clammy. He couldn't ignore it anymore, something definitely was wrong with him. Maybe Brock was right, maybe Ash needed to talk with Serena about it? That thought alone made him feel sicker. Why? What was the big deal anyway? It was just a stupid kiss.

He was so lost in his own thoughts, he hadn't even realized Serena had let go of his hand and they'd stopped walking. An older man's voice broke him from his trance.

"You have to pop the balloons," he was explaining to Serena, handing over three darts. "The color combinations you pop will reveal something about you, and depending on what, you'll win different prizes."

She looked over the three darts and then beamed. Turning on the spot to face Ash and Brock, she held out two of them. "We should win something together!"

Ash blinked. "Together?"

"That'll make whatever we win more unique," Brock nodded, reaching out to take one of the darts. "Great idea, Serena."

She blushed a little as she offered the third dart to Ash. Despite his own internal issues, he couldn't help but give her one of his confident smiles upon seeing her innocent one. "Sounds like a plan," he agreed, taking the dart.

"We should throw them at the same time," Brock offered. "That way whatever we land on will be a complete surprise."

"Good idea, Brock," Serena said, spinning back to face the booth. "Ready?"

Both Ash and Brock stepped up beside her, raising their darts. "Ready!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, signaling the three of them to go.

Three darts flew through the air and thudded against the board. Distinct pops pierced their ears as a two reds and yellow balloon vanished. The booth vendor whistled. "That's the first time in years I've seen that combination."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"To our culture, colors have significant meanings," the man explained. "We choose the colors we use very carefully. The combination of two reds is a very special moment in life. It signifies strong bonds between people or Pokémon. Friends or family. Two reds means unending love, no matter the relation."

"U-unending l-love?" Serena repeated with a stammer, her cheeks starting to glow pink.

The man nodded with a smile before flicking his gaze from Serena to Ash. He frowned as his eyes landed on Ash, making Ash frown back out of reaction. He studied Ash a moment before continuing, "However, the yellow is a unique blend into the reds."

"Why's that?" Brock queried.

"Yellow can mean many things. Uncertainty. Adventure. Blooming relationships. Or even, despair."

The three of them fell silent as the man looked to each of them one at a time. Then he cracked a wide smile. "Fear not! All of that is old Shamouti superstition. I'll retrieve your prize."

He shuffled over to the back corner of the booth while Ash fidgeted in place. His skin was starting to crawl, and he didn't like it. The same sense of foreboding he felt when he approached the shrine was befalling him after hearing those words. Did that mean something?

"Here we are!" The elderly man said, returning with three forearm length ribbons. One blue, one yellow, and one red. "Not the most glamorous prize, I know, but something tells me they will suit you three perfectly."

"I can always find a use for a ribbon," Serena said to him with a smile.

He returned said smile and offered her the red one. "Red alone signifies beauty and strength," he explained as she took it. "The Fire of Moltres burns in your heart, and you're stronger than even you know. Whatever hardships may befall you, something tells me you'll pull through them stronger than before."

"Thank you," Serena blushed as she took the ribbon.

The man turned to Brock and handed out the blue ribbon. "Blue is the color of maturity and wisdom. The Ice of Articuno pierces your mind, makes you see clearly. A silent leader, who others follow by example and trust with their hearts."

Brock appeared to swell with pride at the praise as he took the ribbon with a thanks.

Finally, the man turned to Ash, and extended the yellow ribbon his way. "For you," he started. "Yellow may be the color of uncertainty, but like I said, it is also adventure. For someone to have yellow guiding their path means they are destined for great things. Only time can tell, but those with the Lightning of Zapdos sparking their soul have always been the heroes of our world."

Ash accepted the ribbon, looking at it with the uncertainty he felt the man was describing. How could any color mean all of what he'd said? After all, colors were just rays of light bouncing off the object, right? Cilan had told him something along those lines anyway.

As they walked away from the booth and other people stepped up to play, Ash voiced himself out loud. "How could a simple ribbon mean all that?"

"It's just fun and games, Ash," Serena answered him as she tied the red ribbon around her neck. Taking care to place it next to the blue one Ash had given her some time ago. He watched her do this, and briefly wondered what red and blue mixed together meant.

"I'm more curious how he seemed to know our personality traits just by using those colors?" Brock pondered.

"Someone thinks they're old and wise," Ash snickered to Pikachu.

"After putting up with you and Misty for years, I'd say I earned that title," Brock shot back.

The thought of Misty led Ash to remember dinner was coming up soon, and his stomach growled out loud. "Hey, is it time for dinner yet?"

Brock checked his watch and, to Ash's excitement, nodded. "We can start heading that way, it'll be almost time when we arrive."

"Hey! Ash! Serena!"

The group stopped at the familiar voice calling to them, and they spotted Clemont's lemon blonde hair working his way through the crowd. Bonnie made it to them first, clutching a bright pink Jigglypuff doll.

"Isn't it cute!" She squealed as she approached Serena, holding the doll out.

"It sure is!"

"Nennenene," the little orange mouse grumbled from Bonnie's bag. Folding his arms.

"But not as cute as you, Dedenne," Serena said with a chuckle.

"Oohh, where'd you get that new ribbon?" Bonnie asked, pointing up to it. "I like it mixed with the blue one."

"We won it," Serena told her, motioning to Brock and Ash.

Bonnie noticed them holding the blue and yellow ribbons and pouted. "No fair, I want a ribbon too!"

At this point, Clemont made it to them. "Don't be greedy, Bonnie," he scolded. "You got the Jigglypuff doll."

A sigh escaped her lips and she bowed her head. "I know."

"Cheer up, Bonnie," Ash said. "It's almost time to eat!"

That thought always cheered him up, so he was hoping it'd work on the young girl. He didn't get the chance to see if it did, however, as a differentfemale voice called out to him.

"Ash? Is that you?"

He didn't recognize who it was, so he turned almost a complete three sixty trying to locate the source. A brown haired young woman, wearing a strapless sunflower dress, planted herself in front of him.

"It is you!" She beamed at him.

He blinked at her a few times, as did Pikachu. Who was this girl?

"You don't remember me, do you?" She asked with a challenging tone.

"Uh," was all Ash was able to get out before a man had joined them by her side.

"How about me, Ash?" He asked with a smile. "Remember me?"

The man had windswept, auburn hair, and wore a black dress shirt with tan pants. He did seem familiar to Ash, there was something in his eyes that felt challenging.

Apparently Ash's face had scrunched up, because the man started to laugh and extended his hand. "It has been over a decade. Remember a Rudy?"

 _Click_. "WHAA?!" Ash's brain had finally made the connection.

 _The marriage of Rudy Birnbaum and Misty Waterflower…._

"Rudy?!" Ash exclaimed "You're the one marrying Misty?"

He laughed, "Yes, that would be me."

Ash's eyes traveled back to the girl, and it clicked for him why he hadn't recognized her either. She had only been like seven or eight the last time he'd seen her. "Mahri?!"

"I knew you'd recognize me sooner or later," she chuckled.

"I'm glad you could make it, Ash," Rudy said as Ash finally noticed his extended hand and shook it. "'Misty has been worried you'd be off on some adventure."

"Well, she does know me I suppose," he replied somewhat strangely. Like he wasn't the one in charge of his speaking, but, who else would be?

"Hey, Brock," Rudy nodded to the man, and then took notice of the others beside them. "Who are your friends?"

"These are Ash's friends from Kalos," Brock informed him.

Thankful for the quick distraction from whatever strange feeling was working its way through Ash's chest, he quickly introduced them.

"This is Serena," he motioned to the honey blonde.

Rudy got a strange mischievous glint in his eye as he looked at her. "Ah, I recognize her. She _ran_ to you after the final Kalos match."

Whatever feeling in Ash's chest fell to his gut. Had EVERYONE on the planet seen her kiss him?

"Um, yeah," he avoided looking at Serena as he motioned over to the Lumiose siblings. "This is Clemont and Bonnie."

"And Dedenne!" Bonnie said, holding up her bag so the mouse could chitter a greeting.

"He's so cute!" Mahri squealed and reached out to scratch Dedenne under his chin. Much to the mouse's excitement.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," Rudy gave a nod to each of them. "I'm glad you came along. Misty said something about Ash always finding new traveling companions-"

"Rudy!" A strong female voice cut him off. "There you are!"

From the crowd emerged a tall, beautiful woman. She had long, flowing brunette hair, and light blue eyes. A black dress clung to her frame tastefully, highlighting each of her curves to near perfection.

A sound came from behind Ash that he hadn't heard in years, and then a gasp he'd only heard last week. Two figures shoved past him, knocking him aside as Brock and Bonnie slid up to the woman and crouched down on one knee. Brock took the woman's hands in his while Bonnie gestured up to the woman with a wide, excited smile.

"The Heavens above are nothing compared to the beauty radiating from you," Brock praised.

"You're perfect! A true keeper!" Bonnie squealed, motioning back to Clemont. "Please take care of my Brother?"

"Bonnie!" Clemont shouted as his face turned bright red and a his Aipom Arm extended from his backpack. At the same time a PokeBall popped open around Brock's waist.

The gloved hand snatched Bonnie up by the scruff of her shirt and raised her away from the woman, who looked utterly perplexed and caught off guard. Brock shouted in pain as a purple, frog-like Pokemon struck a Poison Jab into his ribs. He locked up and toppled to the ground as the young blonde was pulled further away.

"Think on it, please?!" She called desperately as Clemont stormed off with Bonnie raised high.

"I told you to stop that a million times!"

Aside from the crowd around them, the group fell silent from the events that just transpired. Rudy and Mahri, who had never seen the actions of either Brock or Bonnie, looked lost. Serena was staring at Brock with concern, while Croagunk gripped his pant leg and started to haul him away from the woman. Ash blinked a few times, but soon the feelings in his gut deflated as he felt a laugh coming on.

Before he could burst, however, another voice spoke up from behind the woman. "What did I just witness?"

It was another young woman, about the same age as Ash and Serena. She too had blue eyes and long brown hair, but she wore a green Barrett atop her head. A pink tank top adorned her torso with round sunglasses hanging from it, and she had on blue jeans with sneakers.

Rudy finally snapped out of his shock at the woman's question, and he chuckled. "I guess Misty did warn us about Brock. Anyway, Ash-" the man in question looked up, "-these are my cousins. Carol-" he motioned to the older woman, and then over to the younger woman, "and Melody. Girls, this is Ash."

"Pleased to meet you," Carol waved. "Melody is my little sister."

Melody didn't greet Ash right away. Instead, she narrowed her eyes at him and sidled up much too close for his comfort. He took a step back, and felt Pikachu's nails dig into his shoulder from the sudden motion. Melody then swooped around him and examined up and down as she circled. Ash noticed Serena was looking at the girl with a strange look.

"Misty has spoke a lot about you," Melody finally said to him. "Like, way more than a woman getting married should-"

"Melody!" Carol snapped, putting her hands on her hips. "How many times have I told you to stop teasing Misty."

"She's not here for me to tease," Melody shot back, stopping in front of Ash again with a wink. "You know? I think you'll do."

Ash blinked a few times again. He was doing that a lot tonight. "I'll do?"

"Yep," Melody nodded.

"He'll do what?" Serena asked suspiciously.

Melody waved her off with barely a glance her way. "Oh, you'll see. Anyway, Ash, is this your first time on Shamouti?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "We didn't get to come here when Misty and I traveled the Orange Islands."

He wasn't sure why, but he felt a great sense of pride to be able to claim that he'd traveled with Misty a long time ago.

"What a shame," Melody sighed dramatically, then perked up. "Well, since it's your first time here, here's a traditional welcome kiss."

And before he could register what she'd said, she swooped in and planted her lips against his cheek. Fire erupted under his skin as a blush covered his face and something mixed between a gasp and squawk escaped Serena. Melody pulled away and winked at Ash once more before prancing away to stand beside her sister.

If Ash didn't know any better, he'd swear every female was losing their minds.

"Melody," Carol sighed. "Why do you have to tease people?"

"Oh it's just a bit of fun, relax," Melody said back.

Rudy laughed. "Some things will never change, Carol. Melody's a troublemaker."

"I take offense to that, cousin," Melody said smugly to him.

Mahri, who looked a little bewildered by all the strange events she'd just witnessed, took a glance at her watch. "Oh!" She gasped. "It's almost time for dinner, Rudy."

"We won't want to keep Misty waiting," Rudy nodded, then turned to face the group. "We'll talk at dinner."

With that said, he waved goodbye as him and Mahri hurried off.

"I suppose we should head that way too," Carol said to her sister. "We'll need to get you ready."

"Yeah, yeah," Melody sighed. "I guess."

Carol frowned but said nothing on the matter. Instead she spoke to Ash and Serena. "It was good to meet you, we'll get to talk more at the wedding." She then cast a quick look over to Brock and Croagunk, who were a few feet away with Brock groaning as he sat up. "Will he be alright?"

Ash look from her to them, and nodded. "Yeah, that's happened a lot. Brock can handle it."

"Come on, Carol" Melody said irritably to her sister. "You said we needed to go."

Carol huffed and then sighed. "Alright, alright. Let's go."

As they walked away, Ash realized a numbing sensation was leaving his body. His cheek still felt warm from where Melody had kissed him, and he reached up to rub it. Serena, much to Ash's surprise, huffed at the action.

"I'm not sure how I feel about her," she said.

"Who, Melody?"

"She seems presumptuous."

Ash's mind blanked, that was too big a word for him. Instead he simply nodded and turned to Brock. Someone he could understand. Someone who wouldn't cause a weird feeling to erupt in him or his mind to overthink something. Someone who wouldn't do anything strange. Normal was what Ash needed to see right now.

The man in question was rising to his feet and reaching for Croagunk's PokeBall. "Return," he groaned, and the frog-like Pokemon vanished in a beam of red light.

"You good?" Ash asked, feeling a small smile return to him at the familiar sight.

"I'm fine," Brock nodded grimly. "Come on, we should hurry. We don't want to be late."

Ash nodded in agreement, and soon him and Pikachu were walking behind Brock and Serena.

"PikaPikachu Pi?"

"I know, buddy," Ash sighed. "There's a lot of weirdness going around."

"Chu PikaPikachu," the mouse made a kissy face and tapped his cheek.

Ash frowned and turned a little red. "No! I didn't enjoy it!"

"Pika?" He motioned towards Serena.

Ash's eyes traveled ahead to the back of honey blonde hair. He could see a fraction of her blue eye as she spoke with Brock. It was subtle, but Ash picked up a small trace of irritableness in her walk.

"I don't know, Pikachu," Ash grumbled, ripping his eyes away from the girl. "I don't understand women."

And that was the truth. In fact, Ash was now sure of it, all of them had lost their minds. A flash of Misty crossed through his thoughts and he found himself wanting to hurry so he could see her. No matter what, she would be normal. He was sure of it! If there was one person he could count on to behave like their same old self, other than Brock, it was her.

Deciding that he was tired of thinking, Ash shoved the yellow ribbon into his pocket and picked up his pace to fall in line beside his friends.

* * *

Clouds floated lazily by as he drifted above them. Night had long since set, and he'd been using it as cover to maneuver over Shamouti without being seen. The man stood before a large window, arms folded as he watched another cloud float by below him. Past them he could see the fireworks popping like confetti, and the lights from some sort of party on the Island.

" _Arriving at Fire Island in ten minutes."_

"Good," the man smiled. "Are we prepared, Vi?"

" _Calculations have been ran three times. Probability of capture, one hundred percent."_

 _"_ Excellent, be sure to scan the entire Island before we knock on Moltres' door. We wouldn't want any unexpected surprises."

 _"Estimated scanning of Fire Island...one hour."_

He unfolded his arms and smiled even wider. "Soon it…begins."

* * *

 **Another chapter down! And we got to see a bit of Misty in this chapter! I now it wasn't a lot, but the story has only just begun. Hope everyone is still enjoying this story. I had a lot of fun introducing Carol and Melody lol**

 **A little note before I go. I decided to make Rudy and Melody cousins because I thought it would best explain why they decided on Shamouti for the wedding rather than Trovita Island. Maybe Melody and Carol could get him and Misty some major discounts on flowers? lol**

 **Anyways, I know everyone is as excited as I am for Ash and Misty to finally meet up, and that moment is on it's way! As always, let me know what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

"I'm sooo hungry…are we there yet?" came May's whining voice.

"How could you still be hungry?!" Dawn cried out in awe. "You ate like thirty of those Fire Cakes!"

At the mention of the spicy, yet sweet treat, May's mouth started watering again as a look of content covered her face. "They were sooooo gooood."

Misty chuckled as she shook her head. "We're almost to the Ho' Alu' Le'. You should have plenty to eat once we can get through the crowd."

The Ho' Alu' Le' was a gazebo of sorts, only much larger and made out of carved stone. It was a ceremonial place for the natives of Shamouti, and the annual choosing of the Chosen One took place under its roof. Misty had asked Rudy all about it, and was a little relieved to learn not very many people attended. Mostly it was tourists looking to be the Chosen One for the current year, as the locals had grown somewhat complacent with their legends over time. Limitless food would be served, which Misty knew would make most of her group excited. And when she was told you could rent a portion of the area out for special occasions, she immediately did so.

"Well if that isn't a trouble patrol, then I'm as much a Mankey as Ash."

The snarky voice stopped Misty in her tracks, and she spotted spiky auburn hair making its way through the thinning crowd of people. It had been some time since she'd seen the man, and he offered her a smug smile when he was within a few feet.

"Gary!" Misty greeted him warmly. "I'm glad you could make it."

"I wouldn't miss a chance to visit a tropical Island," Gary told her. "You just happened to give me the perfect excuse."

Misty puffed out her cheeks, and Gary laughed.

"Relax, Red," he waved her down. "The truth is Gramps blackmailed me into coming."

"Like that's any better?!" Misty barked.

Dawn leaned over to the fuming red head and whispered loud enough for all to hear. "He's just trying to rile you up, Misty. We all know Gary has a little man complex."

Without skipping a beat, Gary patted himself on the crotch and said, "Last I measured it was eight inches, so I don't know where you get your facts, Blue."

Both Dawn and May made an odd choking sound in their chests and turned a bright red, while Misty simply smirked, placed a hand on her hip, and asked, "That's all?"

"Ouch, way to keep attacking a man's pride," Gary quipped, folding his arms. "Shouldn't the bride to be, be in a happy-go-lucky mood?"

Misty laughed. "We'll see about that once we get to dinner. Speaking of, we're going to be late."

"Then what are you standing around for?" Gary asked. "Geeze, Red. You'll be late to your own funeral."

Misty pointedly ignored him and moved to continue walking. Gary cast Dawn and May a smug smirk at seeing they were still beat red, and then he followed Misty. The two girls fell in line behind Misty and Gary, and while Gary struck up another conversation with Misty, May frowned.

"Hey, Dawn," she whispered, poking her friend in the upper arm.

Dawn acknowledged May with a soft grunt.

"Remember when Gary said he had a thing for someone, but they were into someone else?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think he meant Misty?"

Dawn hadn't thought of that. She mimicked May's frown and turned her blue eyes to the back of Gary's head.

"I don't know," she shrugged to May. "Maybe?"

"Do you think he'd make a move so close to the wedding?"

"Gary? Nah," Dawn shook her head. "He might act cocky and self centered, but he's a decent person. He wouldn't do something like that."

"Guess we'll see," May said a little too melodramatic for Dawn's liking.

* * *

"I told Ash a thousand times to pay more attention to the time," Delia scolded to no one in particular.

She was sitting at a stone table, tapping her fingers against its top impatiently. Across from her sat Professor Oak, and beside him were Bonnie and Clemont.

"They were right behind us, Mrs. Ketchum," Clemont said to her. "I'm sure they'll be along any minute now."

"Besides, Delia," Professor Oak broke in, using his gentle voice to calm the Mother. "Misty isn't even hear yet, so we can't be too hard on poor Ash."

Delia cast her gaze around the stone gazebo. The dozens of tables were carved straight out of the stone floor, much like the pillars holding up the roof. It was all one giant space carved from a monstrous stone hundreds of years ago. Most of the tables sat families and friends Delia didn't know. The four near her own were crowded with people she'd met over the last few days, and people she'd known a very long time.

At Rudy's table sat the Groom himself. Along with his little sister, his Mother, Carol, and a few more of their family members. To the table beside them were most of the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Tracey talked amongst them, and Delia noticed Dawn and May were missing also. The table on the opposite side sat Misty's family. Her sisters and a few cousins who lived far away from Cerulean City. Delia had met them all, but had yet to properly learn their names.

"Gary's late as well," Professor Oak tried one more time. "As is Brock. Those two make it a duty to be on time. I'm sure Ash will be with one of them."

Delia let out a sigh. "You're right, Professor. I suppose I shouldn't worry."

"Worry about what?" came Ash's voice, from just behind Clemont.

The lemon blonde nearly rocketed from his seat with fear. Coming down with an over dramatic sigh.

"Sorry, Clemont," Ash apologized with a chuckle, sliding himself into the seat beside his friend.

"Oh, my baby made it on time," Delia cooed as Brock and Serena scooted themselves into the stone table as well. "What a remarkable rarity."

"Mom?!" Ash exclaimed, turning a pinkish color.

"Ash has almost missed a few battles because he was distracted," Serena teased him, giving his ribcage a nudge with her elbow.

"Pika Pikachu," the little mouse agreed, jumping into the table.

"Not you too," Ash moaned, collapsing onto the tabletop.

"Cheer up, Ash," Professor Oak said. "Gary hasn't arrived yet. I think this marks the first time you've arrived before him."

Upon hearing this tidbit of info, Ash immediately perked up. "Really? I beat Gary?"

"Whoa, let's not get carried away now, Ashy-boy."

Part of Ash immediately deflated, but another part of him was excited Gary had made it. He craned his neck back to see, and was immediately blinded by a flash of orange. Something slim and petite crashed into his back, wrapping thin yet strong arms around him as he yelped and nearly fell against the stone table.

"Ash!" Came a female voice directly beside his ear. "It's so good to see you! I'm happy you could make it!"

Dawning covered Ash's expression as he recognized the familiar voice and he lit up with a bright smile. "Misty?!"

"PikachuPi!" Pikachu squealed with delight and soared past Ash's head.

Misty let go of Ash to catch the mouse and pulled him into a tight squeeze. "Hello, Pikachu!" She greeted with a laugh. "You look great! I guess Ash figured out how to train you properly."

"I've always trained him properly," Ash defended sharply as he turned to finally lay eyes on his long time friend. "Pikachu has-"

Whatever Ash was about to say was lost upon him as Misty's bright smile greeted his vision. Her hair was deeply saturated under the firelight, which also caused her aquamarine eyes to sparkle. Perfect skin seemed to radiate the brilliant yellowish-orange glow, making her stand out from the three other people she was with. Ash barely noticed Gary, Dawn, and May.

"Always trained properly?" Misty repeated, missing the hiccup in his speech. "I remember a time when you'd procrastinate for days."

"Ash? Procrastinate?" Bonnie asked puzzled. "He was always the first one up with us."

"Nenne," Dedenne agreed from her lap.

Misty looked at Bonnie a little curiously before realization dawned on her face. "Oh! You must be one of Ash's friends from Kalos!"

"That's right!" Bonnie nodded excitedly, lifting Dedenne up. "I'm Bonnie, and this is Dedenne."

Dedenne squeaked another greeting, while Clemont motioned to Misty with a smile. "My name's Clemont."

Misty greeted the three of them, and then turned to Serena. Her own smile faltered a little upon seeing that the honey blonde appeared slightly put off by Misty's presence. When Serena didn't greet Misty right away, Ash turned his attention to her and saw her cast him a quick glance before hiding her strange expression behind a bright smile.

"I'm Serena! It's so good to finally meet you. You must be Misty?"

"That's me!" Misty confirmed with a chuckle, thinking maybe she'd imagined Serena's strange behavior. She handed Pikachu back to Ash as she added, "I can only imagine what kind of terrible things Ash has said about me."

"All kinds of amazing things!" Bonnie replied first. "That your a really nice person, and that you care a whole lot about Pokémon. You're also a Gym Leader, and a really strong one too!"

Misty blushed beneath Bonnie's praise, and found herself shrinking for some reason. Ash had really said all that?

"Well, I forgot to mention she has an attitude like a Gyarados."

 _Whack_!

"Ow!"

"What was that Ash Ketchum?!"

"See what I mean?" Ash whimpered as he rubbed his arm where Misty struck him.

"I do not have an attitude like a Gyarados!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do-"

"Now you two," Delia broke in with her Motherly voice that clearly said ' _behave'._

Like they'd rehearsed, both Ash and Misty stiffened and ceased bickering immediately.

Sweatdrops formed on the Kalos natives' heads as they watched the scene in confusion. Gary shook his head and leaned over to speak to Clemont. "These two have been flirting since day one. You get used to it."

"Want to say that a little louder, Gary?" Misty threatened, her cheeks turning red.

Dawn and May both placed a hand on Misty's shoulders and chuckled lightly. "Dinner's about to start!" Dawn proclaimed.

"Yeah, let's take a seat," May suggested, and the pair drug Misty away before another word could be said between her and the others.

The group watched them join Rudy's table with a mixture of confused, entertained, and bewildered looks. Misty cast them one last look, and gave Delia a smile before sticking her tongue out at Ash. Then she sat down beside Rudy and he greeted her with a kiss to her cheek.

Something inside of Ash roared, loudly. And he nearly flinched from the sudden sensation. What on earth was that about? He was starting to get hot. His…his blood was pumping? Why?

"Well…She was quite a character," Serena finally said.

"I liked her!" Bonnie exclaimed. "She reminded me of Ash in a way."

"Huh?" Ash questioned, turning back to his table. "Me?"

"She was stubborn, but I could see she's a very nice person," Bonnie replied as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Like you."

"I'm not stubborn," Ash defended himself, and immediately recoiled as each person around him cast him smug stares. "Okay, Okay. Maybe a little…"

"You're the most stubborn person I know," Brock added.

"PikaPi," Pikachu nodded.

"Aren't you supposed to be in my side?!"

"I don't think being stubborn is a bad thing, Ash," Serena offered to him with a gentle smile.

Gary shuffled into a seat beside his Grandfather and said, "You wouldn't be saying that if you weren't trying to get into his pants."

Many things happened simultaneously. Both Serena and Ash's entire body exploded into the brightest red any of them had ever seen, Professor Oak gave his grandson a stern look, Brock stifled a laugh, Clemont gasped and slapped his hands over Bonnie's ears, and Delia sighed while shaking her head.

"Gary-" Professor Oak began to say, but a loud horn cut him off.

From seemingly no where, waiters and waitresses appeared. Each carrying a large tray with various plates of food. Ash barely had time to fight off his blush before their table had been set with dishes of all sorts. He saw pork, beef, beens, oranges, bananas, pineapple, and the list just went on! Whatever embarrassment he'd felt a second ago was gone, crushed by his never settled appetite.

"Enjoy!" The lady who'd sat down the last tray beamed at them, and Ash was the first one to react.

"Alright!" He snatched the nearest empty plate that had been sat by him and immediately shoveled morsel after morsel onto it.

Distracted by the delicious smells before them, the group forgot about Gary's comment and joined Ash in their feast. Random topics broke out, ranging from Pokémon Battles to Performances. From Professor Oak's recent findings to Brock's schooling. Ash didn't join in any one topic for long, too busy stuffing his face with bite after bite.

A sharp laugh caught his attention, and he turned to the source. Misty was holding a palm over her mouth to stifle the sounds, apparently finding something that Dawn and May were talking about hilarious. Rudy poked her side, making her squirm and whack his arm. She giggled at him, and Ash felt the food he'd devoured churn. The banana he'd been about to scarf down dropped to his plate as his arm lowered.

"Whoa, you alright, Ash?" Brock's voice reached him. He looked up as Brock continued, "You look a little green?"

"I've told you a thousand times to slow down when you're eating," Delia scolded, noticing Ash did indeed look a little sick.

"I'm fine," Ash brushed them off, not wanting to draw attention to the odd situation. He wasn't even sure why he'd suddenly gotten sick. Something about the way Misty had looked at Rudy caused a great deal of turmoil inside his chest.

"Are you sure?" Serena asked worriedly.

Ash forced himself to smile, which brought some color back to his face. "Yeah, just needed to let my stomach settle for a moment."

"Who would've thought Ash had a food limit," Bonnie teased as she smugly smirked and stuffed a pineapple into her mouth. Immediately she choked, and made a panicked expression before spitting it back out. " _What was that?!"_

"Bonnie!" Clemont exclaimed. "Table manners! You don't spit food back out!"

"But it was really gross," she whined.

Clemont continued to scold her while Ash's eyes traveled back over to Misty's table. Her and Dawn were now in a discussion, and Dawn's eyes met Ash's. She offered him a warm smile, to which he returned, then she turned back to Misty.

Ash took this moment to scan the rest of the crowd, seeing if there was anyone else present that he knew. He spotted Tracey in a conversation with his fellow groomsman and Rudy. Misty's sisters were among those he recognized, as well as Mahri. He also spotted the woman they'd met earlier…Carol? Yeah, that was her name. Other than those few people, however, there wasn't anyone else he recognized. Guess that was to be expected.

Ears perked all around as a soft, melodic tune wafted through the crowd. Pikachu and Ash mirrored each other as they sat up straighter and turned towards the source. One by one, every pair of eyes swiveled to the girl who'd appeared onstage. She wore a silky white dress, that was embroidered with a red hem. Her bangs from her long brown hair were held up by a large orange ribbon tied around her head, while the rest of her hair curled down her back. Held to her lips was an Ocarina, which she was using to play the song soothing Ash's inner confusions.

Her blue eyes scanned across the crowd, coming to a rest when she locked eyes Ash. He could swear she held back a smile, and then her eyes closed as she swayed to the tune of her Ocarina. The sound was relaxing, lulling Ash into an almost dreamlike trance as he watched her dress dance with her movements.

"Ash," Brock whispered to him. "That's the girl we met earlier."

"Melody," Serena added, recalling her name.

"Melody," Ash repeatedly slowly.

A nagging sensation told him someone was watching him, and for some reason his first suspicion was Serena. Being careful not to draw attention, Ash snuck a glance at the honey blonde beside him. Her eyes were locked on the young woman dancing onstage, and Ash wrinkled his brow. If it wasn't her, then who was it?

He looked at all of his table companions before casting his gaze over to the next table. Aquamarine eyes narrowed at him for a split second, and then were torn away. Ash could almost hear the ' _hmph'_ he'd heard a thousand times before come from Misty as she turned. Her gaze might now be watching Melody onstage, but her nose was in the air and he could clearly recognize the ' _I'm irritated with Ash Ketchum'_ face.

For a moment he pondered what he'd done, but then he brushed it off. After all, almost every female he'd conversed with since he'd arrived had been acting odd anyway. Apparently he'd been wrong when he assumed Misty would be an exception to all the strange behavior.

The tune stopped, and the audience broke into applause, pulling Ash from his thoughts. Melody took a few bows, beaming and waving to her cheering crowd, then she hopped down from the stage and sprinted through the tables with far more grace than Ash possessed. She came to a stop by his table, raising her hands into the air. "Hear ye all," she spoke, twirling in place. "From the Trio of Islands, ancient spheres shall you take, for between life, and death, all the difference you'll make."

Melody crouched down beside Ash, and before he could react, she snatched his hands up in hers. He jumped back, but not enough to dislodge her grip. Serena made a small huff that only Ash seemed to hear.

"Oh, Chosen One," Melody continued, either unaware of, or ignoring Ash's startled expression. "You must climb to the Shrine to right what is wrong, and the world will be healed by the Guardian's song!"

Why was Melody talking so funny? Did she hit her head when he wasn't looking? And she had called him Chosen One?…

"WHAAA?" Ash's jaw practically hit the floor. He recalled Brock telling him that a Chosen One was selected every year to ' _save_ ' the world. Melody had chosen him?! Excitement fluttered through his veins, and the familiar spark of adventure ignited deep inside him.

Melody giggled and gave him a broad smile, "So, what do you say, Chosen One? Will you fulfill the Prophecy and save our world?"

Behind him, Ash faintly heard Bonnie ask Clemont if the Prophecy was the text he'd tried to decipher on the Shrine, but he wasn't paying much attention. All he could concentrate on was that he was getting to play a large part in Shamouti's traditions. No amount of weird girl actions could extinguish his excitement.

"You bet!" Ash declared, raising and clenching his fist. Pikachu hopped up on his shoulder and imitated the gesture with a determined squeak. "What do I have to do?"

"I just told you Ash," Melody sang, leaning in closer to him.

He sweat dropped as he leaned further back, "Yeah, I heard all that stuff, but what do I have to do?"

"Oh, it won't be very hard, Ash. Not for you," Melody winked at him and then let go of his hands to stand. She didn't walk away however, opting to squeeze herself onto the stone seat between him and Serena. The honey blonde grunted at the sudden motion, and glared at Melody behind her back. "And besides," Melody continued. "Almost all the Chosen Ones come back alive."

A collective ' _huh!_ ' rang from their table, and Ash heard a few voices come from Misty's table as well.

"Melody!" Carol called over in a scolding tone.

The girl in question laughed and waved over to her older sister. "I'm just kidding," Melody said to Ash, which did relieve a tension he didn't know had built up. Melody leaned over the table and plucked an apple from the fruit basket. "All you have to do is get these glass balls from three Islands," she placed the apple into his hand as she continued, "one from Fire Island-"

She reached over and then took an orange and placed it beside the apple in his palms, "one from Lighting Island-" next she snatched a pear and gave it to him as well. "-And one from Ice Island."

As Ash stared at the three pieces of fruit, Melody stood up. "You'll bring them to the Shrine back here," she said, dancing a few steps away and twirling in place twice. "And then I celebrate by playing this song-"

She raised her Ocarina to her lips and blew into it, playing a faster tune of the song she'd played during her entrance. "Then it's over!" she declared as she finished, and added a little dramatically with a bow, "oh, Chosen One."

With the space between her and Ash now vacant, Serena scooted back to her original sitting position. Ash was practically squirming in his excitement. "Do I get to wear a cool costume?" he asked.

"Sorry," Melody said as she straightened up. "It's come as you are, besides-" Serena grunted in alarm as Melody forced her way back in-between her and Ash. "-You look perfect to me, the handsomest Chosen One in years."

As Melody spoke, she leaned closer to Ash. Which in turn, made him lean back into Brock. Wanting to get himself out of his awkward sitting position, Ash jumped to his feet, raising his fist. "Okay! Get me a boat and I'm ready!"

"Pikapi!"

"You want to go now?" Clemont asked, a little shocked.

Gary snorted, "You should know he can't sit still longer than five minutes."

"There's no need to hurry," Melody said casually, reaching for the apple Ash had let fall onto the table. "You have all day tomorrow, tonight is just for fun."

"Well some things are more important than fun," Ash defended, slapping a palm to his chest. "I'm Ash, the Chosen One. I gotta be responsible."

"Do you have a boat?" Gary asked in a tone that clearly indicated he already knew the answer.

"Er-I-Uh-" Ash stumbled over his reply.

"What a Chosen One," Gary drawled. "So ready to save us all, yet you don't have a clue."

"You're just jealous that Melody chose me," Ash smarted back, congratulating himself for such a quick reply.

Gary, on the other hand, blew a raspberry and laughed. "If you're going right now, then this I gotta see. Let's see you swim to those Islands."

"I don't-"

"I think they're right, Ash," Brock interjected. "Take a seat, eat some more. It's late, we can handle collecting those glass balls tomorrow."

Ash folded his arms and grumbled, knowing that if Brock was against him then he had already lost. "Fine," Ash mumbled. "But we're going first thing in the morning."

"Deal," Brock nodded.

And with that settled, Melody jumped to her feet and sprinted back up to the stage. "We have found our Chosen One!" she called, sweeping her arms towards the crowd.

The locals erupted into a ferocious cheer that vibrated Ash's core. He heard a wolf whistle, and looked over to see Dawn using her two pinkies to sharpen the sound. She waved at him and winked, before sharing a laugh with May. Misty, however, was the one who caught his attention. She looked agitated, with her famous scowl covering her expression and her cheeks a faint red hue. Her aquamarine eyes caught him glancing her way, and she quickly yanked her head the other direction.

Music suddenly erupted from the stage, and Ash nearly jumped out of his skin. Pikachu's claws dug into his shoulder to maintain the little mouse's position. Without him noticing, a band of Shamouti natives had assembled onstage and begun their performance.

"Oooohhh! People are going to dance!" Bonnie declared, rising to her feet. "We have to find someone for you to dance with, Clemont!"

"Nennenene!"

"Huh? Bonnie, wait-" his words fell on deaf ears as the small blonde girl bolted into the crowd of people. With an alarmed cry, Clemont jumped up and chased after his sister.

Delia chuckled with a smile as she watched Clemont race off, and Professor Oak said, "She certainly has quite a lot of energy."

Ash didn't hear his Mother's reply. He had spotted Tracey waving over to him and motioning for Ash to come over. Without thinking to tell his friends, Ash started in Tracey's direction. As Tracey headed to meet him in the middle, Ash's nerves were tingling with excitement. Even if he had to wait until tomorrow, he was the Chosen One! Maybe it was just luck, but almost every time there was a festival in a place they were visiting, he got to take some part in them. He'd be lying if he said he never enjoyed doing that, or that he thought it was a thrill.

Ash and Tracey maneuvered through the mingling crowd, apologizing and saying excuse me until Ash scooted around a group of women and came face to face with his longtime friend. "Hey, Ash!" Tracey greeted warmly. "Hey Pikachu. Long time, no see. I saw you won the Kalos League."

"You bet we did," Ash greeted Tracey with his trademark confident grin. "Once we head back we get to challenge the Elite Four."

"Think you're going to go all the way?"

"You know it!"

"Pikachu!"

Tracey laughed. "That's the spirit, Ash! I imagine your confidence is pretty high, with what happened after your match."

Ash's confidence wavered, and he blinked. "After the match…."

"She was pretty, remarkably so, I must admit," Tracey let his eyes wander as he recalled Serena's image. "You did good, Ash! Never thought you'd of had it in you."

Of course that's what Tracey was talking about….that kiss…

Ash's eyes found Serena amongst the crowd, standing on her tiptoes and searching for something. Behind her, he saw a flash of orange and then Misty went twirling by with a laugh. He blinked a few times and quickly realized she was dancing…with Rudy. When did most of everyone start dancing?

"PikaPi?"

"You okay, Ash?"

The man in question blinked once again and turned his gaze back to Tracey. He met a curious, and worried state.

"You looked angry for a moment," Tracey explained his question. "Was it something I said?"

"Huh? Oh, no," Ash shook his head and forced himself to chuckle as he rubbed the back of his hair. "Everyone's been acting a little strange lately, guess it's rubbing off on me."

"Pika PiPikachu."

"I am not alway weird!"

Tracey sweatdropped. "Anyway, it seems someone else wants to talk to you."

Ash went from glaring at Pikachu to looking at Tracey curiously. Then a soft hand grabbed his forearm and tugged gently. "Hey, Ash! Do you want to dance?"

He craned his neck back to find Dawn looking up at him with a warm smile.

"Dance?" He repeated.

"Yes, dance! You got Caterpie string in your ears?" Dawn chuckled.

At first he went to feel his ear, but stopped halfway when he realized she was kidding. A sudden jerk on his shoulder told him Pikachu hopped off and landed on Tracey's.

"Pikapi!"

The little mouse made a dancing motion and pointed at Dawn.

"Gee, aren't you so helpful today," Ash grumbled to his Pokémon. Pikachu shrugged in response.

Now that the idea was on Ash's mind, he figured Dawn wouldn't be the only person asking him to dance before the night was over. Doing a quick count he could name off at least three other people who would probably track him down eventually. Might as well get it all over with.

"Alright, Dawn. Let's go," Ash have her a nod. "Can you watch Pikachu, Tracey?"

"No problem, Ash," Tracey nodded, giving Pikachu a scratch behind the ears. Much to the mouse's excitement. "You have fun."

"We will!" Dawn replied for them and then wasted no time in grabbing Ash's wrist to drag him to a more acceptable dancing location.

Her petite fingers barely wrapped all the way around, so it was a wonder to Ash that she had such a strong grip. As they passed a few people, Ash caught a glimpse of Serena standing still amongst the crowd. Her bright blue eyes were looking their direction, and Ash could swear there was a frown on his friend's face.

"This'll do!" Dawn suddenly declared and whipped around. One of her arms snaked their way around Ash's neck, and the other took his hand.

She was awfully close to him, granted the entire area was packed so there wasn't much room to maneuver. But still, it gave him a weird churning in his stomach. If that wasn't the strangest thing so far, he didn't know what was. Why on Earth would Dawn being so close to him cause him to feel…sick?

"You look like you stubbed your toe on a Geodude," Dawn said with a laugh. "Something up?"

Ash snapped back to reality, noticing that they were actually dancing to the beat now. When had he started moving?

"Ash?"

He blinked and looked down to her blue eyes, which were turning from amused into concern. Should he tell her what was raging through his mind? How he thought everyone was acting weird and all of these…emotions were bubbling in his chest and gut. It was just Dawn, she might even have some idea what was happening to him.

As he opened his mouth to speak, for some reason he couldn't explain, the image of Dawn swooping up and kissing him pierced his brain. He nearly threw himself backwards at the thought, but somehow managed to hold himself together. Dawn, however, noticed his sudden hesitation.

"Well, that just confirmed something's up," she said to him, a smug grin forming on her face. "Wanna share?"

"I-uh-"

"Does it have something to do with a girl?"

 _Did she somehow read his thought_?! Was she going to attempt to act on it?!

Dawn erupted into a such fit of laughter, that had Ash not been holding her for their dance, she would've fallen to her knees. People in the closest surrounding area cast them a curious glance.

"You should've seen the look on your face!" Dawn mustered up the breath to say. "You looked so terrified. So, it does have something to do with a girl?"

"I don't know! Okay!" Ash said a little harsher than he'd meant too. "Everyone's been acting really weird, and I don't know why!"

Dawn's amusement faded as Ash's distress bled through his stern tone. "That's what's been up with you today?" she asked. "I knew something was bothering you."

"Was it that obvious?"

"Maybe not to someone who didn't spend a long time traveling with you," she replied smugly.

Right…of course she'd pick up on it. Shoot, almost all of his friends were probably able to tell something was on his mind. Even if they weren't exactly sure what.

"So, spill it," Dawn demanded. "Who's been acting weird?"

Now that the question had been asked so directly, Ash didn't have an answer. And now that he was being forced to really think about it, he realized that he was the one acting strange. Somewhat avoiding Serena, noticing things he wouldn't normally notice, trying to make sense of some of those things, feeling all these weird feelings. Yep, Ash was the one acting strange for sure.

"Okay, maybe I'm the one acting weird," he admitted a little quietly.

"That's what I thought," Dawn replied. "Though, there has to be a reason why?"

"I guess because…" he could feel his face turning red. What was the reason why? His lips started to tingle, giving him a pretty good indication of what the root cause was. "Serena kissed me."

"Now were getting somewhere," Dawn nodded. He expected her to poke fun at him, or to use a snarky tone, but that's not what he got at all. Instead, it seemed Dawn truly wanted to help him. At first he questioned why he would even doubt Dawn's intentions, but then he remembered the frown he saw when Dawn met Serena.

"You don't like her that way, do you?" Dawn asked.

"I…" it was Ash's turn to frown. "I've never thought about it."

If Dawn could facepalm, something about her expression told Ash she would've. "Geeze, Ash. You can be so dense sometimes."

"What do you mean?"

"She kissed you, dummy!" Dawn said sharply. "She obviously likes you, and you haven't even given the idea a thought? Have you ever thought about any girl like that?"

Once again, Ash could feel his face heating up. This was Dawn's answer, and this time she did remove her arm from around Ash's neck so she could facepalm.

"It's not like she's thought about it-" Ash started to defend himself, but as his own words reached his ears, he realized how incredibly stupid they sounded.

His expression must've reflected that, because Dawn said, "Now you get it?"

"Well…" he swallowed hard. "Why would me not thinking about girls like that be such a big deal anyway?"

He wanted to stump her. To prove that he never needed to think about girls…the thought nearly made him shudder.

"Ash," she sounded so serious, so concerned, that Ash found himself at her full attention. "I'm going to tell you something, but you have to keep it to yourself, okay?"

He swallowed hard again, and nodded.

Dawn didn't tell him right away, instead she bit her lip, open and closed her mouth a few times, and finally sighed before saying, "May used to like you."

It took him a moment, because the simplicity in her statement naturally went right over his head. Of course May liked him, they were friends after all, but as his brain slowly made the connection of what Dawn was saying…well…

"May what?!" Ash practically shouted, and Dawn immediately shushed him.

"Used to! I said used to!"

"I-she-you-we-but-her-I-"

"Ash!" her sharp tone shut him up. "I only told you so you'd understand, okay?"

He nodded at first, but then frowned. "Understand?"

"May said she used to give you signs and hints, but you never noticed them," Dawn explained. "That hurt her, a lot."

The implication that Ash had somehow caused harm to one of his best friends crushed his insides like they were made of glass.

"She got over it, so no need to worry about it too much," Dawn told him. "Her and Drew are a thing now, if you didn't know that already."

Ash found himself nodding. Why? He didn't know, because that was certainly news to him. Although, May had probably mentioned that detail in one of the emails he was so bad at reading.

"All I'm saying is, if you not noticing could hurt May, imagine what you ignoring what Serena did is doing to her?"

And there was the tidal wave of guilt. It came crashing into him like a monsoon, ripping and tearing into his heart.

"If you don't feel the same way about her, you're going to need to let her know."

 _When did Dawn become so knowledgeable and observant?_

She watched him as his brain worked in overdrive. Connecting many of the clues he'd been too dense to see in the past. She was sure there were a few he was still missing, but for what it was worth, Ash had made a great leap just now.

Suddenly his face turned to horror and he focused on her. "Did…d-d-d…did you-"

Her cheeks turned a bright pink and she looked away. "Only at first. I realized pretty quick how you were."

"Dense?"

The fact that Ash himself said it, well, that was something Dawn was sure she was never going to hear. She couldn't help but let out a laugh. "You think?"

He nodded a few times, and then asked, "Is all that why you and May frowned at Serena when you met her?"

Dawn blinked, completely caught off guard that Ash had noticed such a minor detail. "No…that was for another reason…"

"What?"

Now it was Dawn's turn to look panicked. "Gee, would you look at the time? Thanks for the dance, Ash! I gotta go."

And she let go of him and was gone before he could question her. He was left standing there, blinking in his confusion at what had just happened. Dawn had helped him to a revelation and then just suddenly up and bolted. There was no overthinking that one, she certainly acted strange just now.

"What did you do to scare off Dawn like that?"

Ash jumped out of his skin at Misty's sudden voice in his ear, and even yelped pretty loud. She raised a brow at his over-reaction and giggled.

"Don't scare me like that!" Ash said to her, inhaling a few deep breaths.

"What a Chosen One Melody picked," Misty teased him. "How are you supposed to ' _save the world'_ if you get so scared so easy?"

"I didn't get scared!" He defended, but recalled that he actually did say that out loud. Quickly he changed the subject, "You know Melody?"

"I've met her a few times," Misty replied. "She's Rudy's cousin."

"I knew that," Ash scratched his hair.

"Then why did you ask?"

"I meant about her being Rudy's cousin!"

"No you didn't."

"Did too."

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did n-"

Someone bumped into Misty, causing her to garble her words and stumble forward into Ash's chest. He caught her out of basic reaction, and glared at the man who continued on like he didn't even notice.

"Thanks, Ash," she said up to him as she pushed off his chest to right herself.

He was about to reply, but caught a whiff of something strong and blanched. "Have you been drinking?!"

"Have I been drinking?" She repeated in a very sarcastic manner. "Of course I have! It's a party."

"I didn't know you drank," Ash said.

"And speaking of, I could use another. Come on," much like Dawn had done, Misty snatched his wrist and started to haul him through the crowd. "We can catch up over one."

Unlike what Dawn had done, Misty's touch was causing a warmth to spread throughout him from her fingertips. Also, he noticed his heartbeat was thundering like a drum. Which only caused it to quicken its pace as he thought of Misty against his chest like she'd been.

"Sure," Ash agreed, shaking his head. "I could use a drink."

And that was true. Between everything so far, and his new thoughts about girls, Ash was in desperate need for a drink.

* * *

"Where ya headed, Gary?" Brock's voice floated to his ears.

Gary stopped where he was, on the edge of the stone gazebo overlooking a dark stretch of forest behind the town.

"I need to get away for a bit," Gary replied, turning to find Brock standing a few feet behind him. "This scene is a little much for my liking."

Being as observant as Brock was, he noticed Gary's dark eyes glance towards the crowd of dancing people. Brock followed his gaze and spotted Dawn quickly moving away from Ash as Misty approached him from behind.

"Do you want some company?" Brock asked, returning his attention to Gary.

"Nah, one of the loser squad would just cramp my style," Gary replied, though there wasn't the usual amount of snark in his tone.

"Alright," Brock nodded. "At least tell me what you're doing in case Professor Oak asks?"

Gary almost gave a smart reply, but found himself telling Brock the truth, "I'm going to look for a multicolored Vaporeon I heard about in town today. If Gramps asks."

Then he was walking into the dark woods, leaving Brock to watch him go. He followed along a clear path for a good ways, forcing himself to keep his mind focused and not let it wander. Like he told her earlier that day...she was interested in someone else. And he didn't want to think on it.

Not very long ago that would he have let something so small stop him from even trying. He was Gary Oak, and he'd of had the girl...if it wasn't for his competition. Not that he would admit it, but Ash was fierce competition in the female department. Even if Ash was too clueless to notice.

Besides, there were plenty of other females...he felt his chest constrict at the thought. How annoying.

On he walked until he could hardly hear the festival music anymore. Then Gary stepped off the path and unclipped a PokeBall.

"Ampharos, I need some light."

Bright light erupted around him for a moment as the PokeBall released, but it was soon replaced by the faint yellow glow radiating from his Pokémon's tail.

"Amph!"

"Thanks buddy," Gary patted the Pokémon. "Ready to look for that Vaporeon?"

"AmphAmph!"

"Let's do it then."

And the duo headed further into the foliage, further away from the path and the festival. Further away from having to watch Ash and...her.

They were headed South, towards the Shrine. That's not where the Vaporeon was rumored to be, however. It was said to be a little West of the Shrine, but better to start from a location he could recognize.

Maybe an hour had passed, Gary wasn't really keeping track, until the trees separated and him and Ampharos stepped onto soft sand. The Shrine rose up on its stone platform to his right, meaning he was on the side he needed to be on. Without the trees blocking the moonlight, Gary could see the silhouettes of the neighboring islands across the ocean. With the gentle waves sparkling underneath the starlight above.

Not one to really stop and appreciate beauty, Gary began his trek West, keeping his eyes peeled for any kind of movement or spot where a Vaporeon might hide. He knew it wouldn't just lounge out on the sand. It would probably be poised up on a rock jutting out to sea, or something cliché like that.

He didn't make it very far from the Shrine when Ampharos suddenly stopped and turned towards the ocean. Gary noticed and ceased walking, looking back at his Pokemon curiously.

"What's up, Ampharos?" He asked, taking a step closer.

Then he heard it. A faint boom that resonated across the water and reached his ears. It was followed by a deep cry, and then another boom. His dark eyes snapped towards the source of the sounds, and he could faintly make out the dark shadow of Fire Island.

He narrowed his eyes as another boom reached him, and Ampharos whimpered. Something that glowed an orangish-red lit similar to a fire lit up on the far side of the island, and it was followed by a blast of light.

Gary had no Pokémon on him that could transport him to the island in haste. He had Blastoise, and as great a swimmer as he was, the waves mixed with that distance would be too much for the Pokemon to concentrate on keeping Gary on its back.

The booms and cries ceased, however, and no matter how long or how hard Gary listened, he could no longer see or hear anything to indicate something was going on.

His logical mind tried to tell him it was just two Pokémon battling, but Ampharos' fidgeting and whimpering said otherwise. Without solid proof or a means of transportation, there wasn't much Gary could do.

"Come on," he said to his Pokémon. "We have a Vaporeon to find."


	5. Chapter 5

"Bonnie!"

Ash glanced up from his drink as Clemont's voice reached him. From the middle of the crowd, the little blonde girl was raised high by the nape of her neck. Clemont's Aipom Arm grasped her firmly as she folded all of her limbs and pouted. Ash couldn't see Clemont, but he must've been headed the opposite direction as Bonnie and the Arm moved away.

"Your Kalos friends seem really nice," Misty commented, having followed Ash's line of sight and witnessed the event.

"They're great," Ash nodded, raising his drink to his lips and taking a sip. He forced himself not to cough as the dark alcohol burned on its way down.

Currently the pair sat off to the side of the festivities, hanging their feet over the edge of the stone gazebo's floor. Ash's feet barely reached the grass, and he swung his sneaker over the tips of the blades. Misty's however, didn't reach, and this was something she was quick to notice. "When did you get taller than me?!"

"Huh? Am I? I haven't noticed," Ash admitted, looking to the top of Misty's head as if he could see the difference. "I don't seem taller?"

"Because we're sitting down, you dolt," she commented before taking a long sip from her own drink.

"Someone has to be the smallfry, guess it's your turn."

"Watch it, Ketchum. I may be shorter than you now, but I can still kick your butt!"

"Can not."

"Can too."

"Can not!"

"Can too!"

"Can-" _whack! "_ Ow! Geeze, Misty. Why do you hit like a man?" _Whack! "_ OW!"

"That's what you deserve," Misty snapped, glaring at him as he rubbed the back of his head. "I mean, why didn't you tell me you won the Kalos League? That's something you're supposed to mention to your best friend."

Ash ceased his rubbing and blinked at her a few times. The Kalos League? A lead weight dropped into his stomach. Had she too seen Serena's intimate action?

"Did you-"

"I didn't get to watch the match, unfortunately," Misty continued on. "I bet you struggled and then had Charizard pull you out of the fire? Eh?"

"No!" Ash barked at her, puffing his cheeks a bit. "Pikachu won the match, AND he took down Alain's Charizard."

"Wooooowww," Misty stretched the tones, clearly annoying Ash in a way she'd predicted it would. "An electric type beat a flying type, what a win."

"You didn't even see it, so what do you know?" Ash growled, feeling his face getting hot.

Misty suddenly laughed, her smug expression vanishing into a wide smile. "I messing with you, Ash. You're still so easy to get all worked up."

"I am not."

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

If he was honest, Ash would've expected the typical reply. Instead, he got a small giggle and Misty finished off her drink. The lack of reply stalled his brain, and all he could do was watch her as she twirled the now empty cup in her hands. They sat there for a moment, listening to the crowd behind them and the music. Many of the locals had wandered off, and it was mostly tourists left to dance and mingle. Somewhere amongst them, Ash could hear Professor Oak talking, and he thought he heard May let out a laugh.

"How was Kalos?" Misty suddenly asked in a very quiet tone. She sat her cup down on the stone and glanced forward into the darkness. What she was looking at, Ash didn't know. After all, there was just a thin layer of trees immediately followed by the Northern beach.

"It was awesome," Ash replied, finishing his own drink and setting the cup down beside Misty's. "It had some pretty amazing places, and Pokémon. Oh, and Mega Evolution was really cool to see."

"Did you get into any trouble?"

"Huh?"

"Don't play dumb," she pulled her eyes away from the shadows of the night and turned towards Ash. "You always get into trouble of some kind. That's who you are. Did you help any of the Legendary Pokémon?"

Ohhhh, that's what she meant. "Yeah," he admitted kinda sheepishly. "We saw Xerneas, and Yveltal."

Misty nodded slowly as she stared at him.

"What?"

"I don't know those Legendaries," she replied.

His expression fell blank. "Then why did you ask?"

"Isn't that what good friends are supposed to do? Ask questions about what the other has been up too?"

If that was true, then Ash was a terrible friend. He shuffled his feet and looked away from her. "Well, what have you been up to? Running around the Orange Islands with Rudy?"

Damn, why did he ask that? And why did he sound a little rude? She was surely going to hit him now!

"I've been getting the Cerulean Gym stronger and stronger," was Misty's reply, and Ash almost flinched on basic instinct when she spoke. Until he realized she'd actually replied to his rudeness and hadn't hit him. "I'm almost the top Gym in Kanto. Agatha stepped down from the Elite Four and runs the Viridian Gym full time. It's a little hard to top a former Elite Four Member."

"You can do it!" Ash told her, quickly getting over his confusion and looking back at her. "You're the best Water Pokemon Trainer I know. Agatha won't stand a chance!"

Misty's cheeks flushed under the pale firelight, and she smiled a small smile, "You think so?"

"I know so," he nodded.

"Thanks, Ash," she whispered, looking down.

He was about to reply when he heard May's voice through the crowd. "Hey, Brock? Have you seen Ash?"

"He was with Misty last I saw, why? What's up?"

"I haven't danced all night! I'm trying to find him-"

She continued speaking, but Ash's panicking mind had already kicked into gear, drowning the rest out. What Dawn had told him came roaring back into his mind. Even if May was in a relationship with someone else and didn't like him that way anymore, he knew well enough to know he'd make a fool of himself right now over the topic.

Misty, being the saint that she sometimes was, picked up on his distress and laughed. "Come on," she said, grabbing his wrist. "We need to run!"

And run he did, right behind Misty as they hopped down from the gazebo and raced for the treeline. It wasn't that he was worried May would be upset if he somehow let slip that he knew, but he didn't want to have to deal with that issue if he could avoid it, and besides…you know…dancing wasn't his favorite thing to do. If he had a chance to get away before May, Serena, or even his Mother tracked him down to ask, he was taking it.

Dancing by himself? Sure, he could embarrass himself for a bit of fun. But to be wrapped up close to a female, and be responsible for their embarrassment as well? No thanks. Add in all the crazy emotions running around in his head and that was a recipe for disaster. Dense he may be, but even Ash knew that much. But as he ran, and these thoughts swirled in his head, a scene of him and Misty dancing entered his mind. It wasn't hard to imagine, she was holding his hand after all. One quick turn and her other arm would be draped over his shoulder. These pounding footsteps could be soft and swaying. Close together, in sync, alone and-

 _WHAT_?! _What on Earth was he thinking?!_ Why was his chest thundering so hard? So loud that he was sure Misty would be able to hear. Was he sweating? Well, yes, he was running after all. But this was a cold sweat, one born from nervousness. _What was going on with him?!_ So caught up in his own worries, he nearly stumbled as his sneakers connected with the coarse texture of sand and his nostrils filled with the sharp smell of saltwater. Misty finally let go of his hand, and for some reason he felt colder as her fingers slid away.

"Think we got away in time?" Misty asked as she took a few steps closer to the gently lapping waves.

"I hope so," Ash replied, casting a glance back through the trees. He could faintly make out the firelight of the festival.

Misty took a long inhale, sighing once she was done. "I really do love the ocean, Ash."

Why she was reminding him was beyond his understanding, but he humored her all the same. "I remember. You mentioned it at least twice a day while we were riding around on Lapras."

"That was so long ago," she said in such a quiet voice he barely heard her.

"Yeah," Ash nodded, moving to stand beside her as she watched the waves. "Its a shame we didn't get to visit this place back then."

"That's why I picked it for the wedding," Misty said.

When she said that _word_ , Ash's airway started constricting. He swallowed hard to loosen it up, but all he received was a few shakes to his nervous system.

"Well, that was one reason, anyway," Misty continued, oblivious to Ash's dilemma. "Rudy got some _major_ discounts by getting married here. It pays to have family in certain places, I suppose. Melody and Carol have been a huge help in setting it all up."

"Yeah, I bet," Ash finally managed to say something. This topic was making him itch, and not in the bugs crawling under your skin way either.

There was one thing Ash noticed, however. Misty was talking about her wedding, and as far as he knew, weren't women supposed to sound all girly and excited about their wedding? Misty sounded like she was happy, sure, but not as excited as Ash would've expected a girl to be. Maybe he'd seen one too many movies?

She suddenly clapped and turned to him. "Let's go for a walk! Maybe we'll find some Shellder, or Corsola!"

* * *

Serena let out an exasperated sigh as she plopped down at the table beside a man she didn't recognize. He was scratching Pikachu behind the ears, who was sitting on the tabletop munching on a pear, so he must've been one of Ash's old friends.

"Why the long face?" The man asked as he noticed her slump forward onto her elbows.

"I was hoping to have a dance with Ash, but I haven't seen him since he got done eating." She snatched an apple up and took a sharp bite, chewing and sighing once again after she swallowed.

"Ash has always been on the move. I'd be surprised if he was still here," the man said with a chuckle. "Im Tracey, by the way. Judging from your accent, you must be one of Ash's Kalos friends I've heard about."

"Mhm, I'm Serena," she told him, straightening up to give a proper greeting. "Did you used to travel with Ash?"

"Him and Misty back when he was challenging the Orange League," Tracey replied. "I stayed in Pallet Town after that to help Professor Oak."

"Oh!" Serena gasped. "I've heard your voice before. When Ash would call the Professor sometimes."

Without either of the humans noticing, Pikachu's ears twitched and he looked up towards the dark tree line to the South. The electric type frowned.

Tracey laughed. "Yep, that was me."

"So, how'd you end up with Pikachu?"

"Pi?" The mouse perked up at hearing its name.

"Dawn managed to track Ash down for a dance before he disappeared," Tracey informed her. "Pikachu was supposed to stay with me until they were done, but Ash seems to have gotten distracted. That alright, though. Right, Pikachu?"

"PikaPikachu!" The mouse squealed as Tracey scratched him behind his ears.

Serena had gone quiet, jealousy bubbling to life in the pit of her stomach. Of course some other girl had found Ash for a dance before her. That was just her luck. Someone joined them across the table, and Serena looked up to see May taking a seat.

"Ooohhh! They still have bananas over here!" May exclaimed, and snatched one from the center. "Hey guys," she greeted them as she pulled the peel away. "Have you seen Gary?"

"Not in a while, why?" Tracey asked as Serena shook her head.

"Dawn's looking for him," May replied through the oversized bite of banana she took. "She's trying to dance with all the guys at least once."

"Huh? Why?" Tracey questioned curiously.

May shrugged, but had a response. "Something about ' _this is a party"_ and ' _everyone should be having fun'._ She's with Brock right now, I think. She had her eye out for Clemont, and I know you're next."

"M-m-m-me?!" Tracey squawked. "But I cant dance."

"Good luck changing her mind," May countered with a laugh. "She got Ash to dance after all."

Serena couldn't help but giggle at Tracey's horrified expression and the thought of Clemont dancing with someone he'd barely met. He'd be a nervous wreck. Maybe Serena's jealousy was a little over dramatic. Dawn was just wanting to have fun with all of her friends. There was no harm in that. In fact, Dawn had the right idea!

"She's right," Serena suddenly declared, rising to her feet. "We should be having fun! Come on, Tracey! May can watch Pikachu for you."

"WHAAA?!" Tracey turned a bright red. "B-b-but-"

"No buts!" Serena laughed. Tracey reminded her a lot of Clemont. "Come on! It'll be fun!"

Tracey didn't get another chance to argue. Serena had grabbed his arm and hauled him to his feet. Not that Pikachu pushing against Tracey's back helped the man any. May laughed out loud and shouted for them to have fun before sharing another laugh with Pikachu. Once they were out in the crowd dancing, and Tracey had calmed down a bit, Serena learned a lot about the Pokémon Watcher. He told her about about his and Ash's travels, something Serena found very interesting, and she in turn told him a bit about Kalos. Once, she did see Dawn attempting to dance with Clemont, and of course he was a mess. Serena had a good laugh over that.

She saw Professor Oak and Ash's Mother dance past them. Brock and May, who had apparently gotten up to dance when Bonnie rushed over and grabbed Pikachu for a shared dance with him and Dedenne. Even Melody and Rudy went twirling by at one point. But no matter how many times she turned and saw the place, Ash was no where to be seen. Neither was Gary or Misty for that matter. Gary missing wasn't as odd as Misty. Shouldn't the Bride be smack dab in the middle of the party with her Groom?

The song ended and Tracey let go of Serena. He was visibly out of breath, but smiling all the same. "I hope I didn't step on your feet too many times."

"None at all," Serena told him with a smile of her own. "Thanks for the dance, I needed it."

"You don't need to thank me, you forced me out here after all," he laughed.

"That I did," she laughed back, and saw Dawn coming up behind Tracey. "And I think you're staying out here for a little while longer."

Tracey looked confused at first, but then dawning crossed his face as a petite hand tapped him in the back. "She's right, Tracey!" Dawn said. "You're not done yet."

Serena quietly excused herself as Tracey started stammering again and Dawn took his hands. She was quite a ball of energy, Serena had to give the petite bluenette that much.

"Hey, Serena."

She stopped her walk back to her table and craned her neck back to find May standing a few feet away. She was pointing off to her left, and Serena looked to see Clemont struggling to get through the crowd of people. He was giving chase to Bonnie, and the little girl was able to outmaneuver him due to her small size amongst the crowd. Serena shot May a thumbs up before changing her course and heading for her lemon haired friend.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Excuse me. Pardon. Just need to get through," Clemont was rattling off apology after apology as he bumped into the dancing people. Most allowed him to pass, but a few glared at him for intruding.

"Clemont?" Serena asked as she came up behind him.

"Serena?" He questioned as he looked back to see her. "Hey, sorry, I'm trying to catch up to Bonnie before she does something embarrassing again."

"You're too wound up, Clemont," Serena pointed out. Not that it needed pointing out, he was clearly distressed. That dance he'd had with Dawn didn't seem to calm his nerves. "Bonnie will be fine, you need to have some fun."

"How can I-"

"Come on," Serena interrupted him by grabbing his arm and smiling. "Let's dance!"

"HUH?!" Clearly being asked to dance two times in a row was something he never considered would've happened. "But Bonnie-"

"Will be fine," Serena finished for him. "Let's go!"

And without waiting for him to have a counter argument, Serena pulled him close.

* * *

"Wow! It's so pretty!"

Ash had to agree with Misty as he took his final step and came to a stop by her side. The duo had been walking for some time, and spotted a large triangular rock that jutted out to sea. It had a steady incline, putting the tip about a dozen feet above the ocean's waves. Wanting to see the ocean from that vantage point, Misty suggested they climb up. Aside from the gentle waves lapping against the shore, the ocean was calm and serene. Drifting lazily along beneath the moonlight. The stars glistened high above, reflecting thousands upon thousands of tiny lights off the ocean's surface.

Looking on, it was as if Ash stepped off planet Earth and was now floating though space itself. He would've believed it too, if he wasn't standing on a solid rock with Shamouti behind him. A small shuffle beside him broke his gaze, and he turned to find Misty no longer standing. She sat down, cross crossing her legs while she never once broke her stare away from the view before her.

Thinking she had the right idea after such a long walk across sand with alcohol still affecting his system, Ash joined her. He took a seat by her side and pulled his knees close to his chest for his arms to wrap around. A warm breeze tickled his hair, ruffling the hat atop his head. He could feel something brushing against his arm, so he looked to find Misty removing her hair tie and letting her locks blow with the wind.

As she pulled the tie over her wrist, he frowned. How come he hadn't noticed her hair had gotten so much longer? It was easily twice the length he remembered it being. Granted, it had been put up, but still, now that he was staring it should've been plain to see. Tied up or not.

"You know?" Misty suddenly spoke. "I used to travel up to Cerulean Cape in the middle of the night. I'd just sit and watch the waves…"

He waited for her to say more, because it seemed like she had more to say. When she didn't, Ash shifted a little and asked, "How come?"

"Because I love the ocean, duh?" Misty replied with sarcasm.

"You made it sound like you were trying to get away," Ash pointed out his observation. Which, if he could've gotten away with it, he'd have congratulated himself for even noticing that detail in the first place.

"Maybe I was?" She shrugged. "Maybe my sisters were driving me nuts. Or maybe I'd had a hard day. Maybe I just wanted some time alone to think."

Ash didn't have a reply this time. Something was off. Her tone was almost normal, like she was having a typical conversation, but Ash had been around Misty long enough to know the warning signs of when he should just listen. If he said something now, it'd probably be the wrong thing.

Huh, maybe he had matured over the years. And Iris still called him a kid. Which he definitely was not!

"Maybe…" Misty swallowed and finally pulled her gaze away from the ocean. She reached out a finger and started to twirl a small pebble around by her foot. "Maybe I just missed traveling and that was the closest I could get."

Despite whatever amount of maturity, life lessons, or realizations Ash may have had. One thing would always ring true. He was still Ash.

"We've met all kinds of Gym Leaders who've gone traveling," Ash told her. "There's not a law that says you have to stay-"

Misty pulled her gaze up to him, eyes narrowed dangerously. Maybe it was the conversation he'd had with Dawn earlier, or it was the result of him overthinking everything lately, but it clicked in his mind what Misty was getting at.

She watched him for a moment, as his expression remained blank, and as she opened her mouth to berate him for being so clueless, Ash spoke first. "You missed traveling with me…"

He could visibly see the anger and agitation dissipate from her face. Replaced by surprise and embarrassment. Now that her eyes were wide open, and not glaring a hole through him, he had a clear view of her aquamarine eyes under the starlight. They sparkled like diamonds, somehow reflecting each and every star above, but never overpowering the gentle color. Much like her hair, how had he not noticed how beautiful Misty's eyes had become? He found his breath stolen away.

 _Er_ \- we'll, technically Misty's eyes were the same as the last time he'd seen her. So why now was he thinking they were the most amazing things he'd ever seen? And why was he feeling this way anyway? This was just Misty, after all.

Just Misty…he swallowed hard as Dawn's words came sweeping through his mind.

" _She kissed you, dummy! She obviously likes you, and you haven't even given the idea a thought? Have you ever thought about any girl like that?_ "

Just like when he heard those words, Ash could feel his face heating up.

" _It's not like she's thought about it-"_

But Serena had thought about it. So had May, and even Dawn. Did…did that mean Misty had thought about it too?!

 _Misty sat down beside Rudy and he greeted her with a kiss to her cheek. Something inside of Ash roared, loudly. And he was starting to get hot. His…his blood was pumping?_

 _Rudy poked her side, making her squirm and whack his arm. She giggled at him, and Ash's stomach churned._

 _Misty was knocked into his chest. He hadn't noticed at first, but he felt cold as she pulled away._

"Well," Misty tore her eyes away from his, leaving his heart suddenly screaming at him. "Brock too! It wouldn't be the same without him chasing after all the girls."

Her voice was shaky, and…small? Like she was vulnerable, and Ash didn't like it one bit. A strong will inside him wanted to reach out and grab her. Pull her close and never let go again. What was happening to him?!

Misty started to tap her finger together nervously, and Ash's eyes were drawn to the hair tie around her wrist. Not really knowing why, his hand started traveling into his pocket. He almost gasped when he felt the silky touch of the ribbon he'd won with Brock and Serena earlier that day. An idea sparking in his head, he pulled it out and reached for Misty's wrist with his other hand. To his surprise she didn't jerk when he gently grabbed her and stopped her fingers from tapping. She looked up curiously as he pulled her hand back to him.

Ash placed the ribbon over her wrist and wrapped it around once. He went to tie it off, having to let go of her wrist to do so. There was a deep blush on his cheeks, he was sure of it. After all, his face felt hotter than Charizard's tail. When he was done, he pulled his arms back to himself and said, "There."

Misty blinked at the ribbon a few times and looked at him curiously.

"I still have your handkerchief," he explained. "And your lure. Now you'll have something of mine when you start to miss traveling with me again."

Tears welled up in her eyes almost immediately, and he scolded himself for making her cry. Never in a million years did he want to cause her grief. He was about to apologize, when she was suddenly pressed against him. Pulling him to her in the tightest hug he'd ever had in his life. No joke, this embrace put even his Mother to shame.

Any other time, he'd have coughed or gagged. Put on an overdramatic show of being unable to breathe. But this time he didn't have the urge to do such a thing. This time he returned the gesture, just not as hard. The truth was, he missed her. Hell, he missed a lot of people, even if he didn't want to admit it. But sitting here, with her, he realized just how much he missed having the orange haired woman by his side. Misty had always been special, and Ash couldn't believe it took him THIS long to figure it out.

His heart pretty much stopped when she sniffled.

"Misty?" He questioned.

"I'm fine," she said with one, wet laugh. She pulled away from him, wiping her eyes with her non ribboned wrist. "Thank you, Ash. That was really sweet."

A lump was forming in his throat as she looked him through those watery eyes. "Well," he started, and his voice was low. Almost timid. "I care about you Misty. I want you to think of me as much as I think of you."

He didn't know whether he said the wrong thing or the right thing. How could he? He was Ash Ketchum after all, the dense boy wonder. Maybe it had been the alcohol, which was still very much affecting his system, or maybe it had been the emotional weights. Maybe Ash really was a clueless little kid.

All he knew, was when Misty leaned forward and her lips connected with his, he completely melted against her warmth. He'd been kissed before, but never like this. Never did they feel so inviting, so euphoric. His chest was swelling with each passing second Misty's lips stayed against his. Lighter and lighter he felt, until he was sure the pair of them would float away into the stars.

He found himself kissing back, not stuck from fear, or caught off guard by surprise. He was mimicking her actions, scooting closer to the warmth. Feeling as if his own soul was reaching out for hers. He felt her palm slide against his jawline, and operating purely on autopilot at this point, Ash wrapped his arm around her back. All the worries over the past few days, all the thoughts, all the emotions, all the insanity he'd put himself through dissipated in a flash. Gone faster than he could return Misty's continued kiss. And in the same brief moment, it all shattered around him.

"Well, well. Never would've thought you had it in you, Ashy-Boy. Cheating with the bride, how classy."

Misty ripped away from Ash, pulling so fast he nearly toppled forward into her. The rapid fire pounding of his heart was no longer sending warmth through his veins. Now it was a paralyzing fear over what he'd just done. Ice so sharp and cold he might as well be dead.

Gary stood a few feet away on the downward slope of the rock, with his Ampharos illuminating the immediate area. His arms were folded, and he looked far too entertained for Ash's liking.

"This does not look good at all," Gary commented. "I expected to walk in on something like this years ago. Lucky me that I get to be the one to do it now."

Ash expected Misty to shout, or to growl some threat, but he never expected her to jump to her feet and run. She was gone so fast, Gary didn't have time to move and she knocked him aside. He stumbled back from her shove, and if it wasn't for his Ampharos, he would've fell over the edge into the ocean.

"Whoa! Hey, Red!" He yelled after her as she jumped down onto the sand. "I wasn't the one sucking your face off! Don't take it out on me you got caught!"

Ash was about to snarl at Gary to leave her alone, but as Misty took off down the beach he finally realized what she was doing. "Misty!" He called, quickly standing up. "Misty!"

She didn't stop, or even act like she heard him. She continued sprinting away, getting smaller and smaller into the distance.

"Misty!" Ash shouted one more time before taking a few steps to give chase. Gary stepped in his way, and Ash growled. "Move!"

"Hold on there, cowboy," Gary placed a palm against Ash's chest. "Maybe you should slow down and take a second."

"I can't let her run off like that!" Ash stated loudly.

"That's exactly what you're going to let her do."

"Why?" He was angry, but also curious and terrified. Unknowingly, his fists were balled which was causing Gary to appear cautious.

"Think about what you just did," Gary said. "I know it's hard for you, but try. For Misty's sake."

Maybe it was because Gary had used her name, but Ash inhaled a deep breath and stepped back. He didn't realize how close he'd been to Gary.

It took a moment, but as Ash calmed own ever so slightly, it hit him what his friend meant. What that chilling fear inside him was. The horrible situation he'd just placed Misty in. He wanted to blame Dawn for bringing to light part of his issue. He wanted to blame Serena for starting this whole internal mess of his. He wanted to blame Gary for interrupting. But, in the end he couldn't….he couldn't blame any of them. All he could do, was blame himself.

It might've taken him far too long to realize, but because of Serena, because of Dawn, because of this night and the stars…Ash realized something he should've known all along. He had some seriously strong feelings for Misty. How come no one ever told him?

Ash must've looked horrified, because Gary spoke up. "You get it now? You just acted on long repressed feelings at quite possibly the worst possible time."

He knew it was childish, but Ash couldn't help trying to defend himself. "I don't know about the worst time-"

"Nothing short of a funeral could be worse than TWO DAYS before her wedding!" Gary snapped.

"Like you would've done anything different!" Ash protested, hearing his shout echo out to sea.

Gary cocked a brow. "Yes, I would've."

"How can you say that?!" Ash yelled. "You're not the one in this situation! You don't know what it's like!"

Technically, neither did Ash. He'd never experienced anything like this before. Up until literally five minutes ago, he wouldn't even had admitted to himself he liked Misty.

A dark shadow fell across Gary's expression, and he took a step forward. "What do you know, Ash? You don't know what I've had to witness. What I've had to live with." Gary's tone was low, and intimidating. So much that Ampharos took a step away from the boys. "I've had to watch the girl I like from afar, knowing I can never get any closer to her."

Despite Gary's threatening tone, Ash couldn't help his curiosity. "What?"

"Dawn! You dense, Mankey!" Gary barked. "Geeze, do you need _everything_ spelled out for you?!"

Anger bubbled inside Ash's chest at Gary's insults. "What do you mean?"

Gary made a garbled noise between a scream and a groan. "She likes you! You twit! She knows you like Misty, Hell, everyone and their Growlithe knows you like Misty! But it's going to hurt Dawn all the same when she finds out you've kissed her!"

Ash could feel his heart slamming into his ribcage.

"How does that make you feel?!" Gary continued. "You've effectively hurt Dawn and ruined a wedding all because you couldn't keep your lips to yourself! Why don't we throw Serena in there while we're at it. Wonder how she'll react when she finds out her hero is such a selfish piece of shit!"

Gary was angry. Ash knew that. He was smart enough to connect the dots now that Gary revealed his interest in Dawn. And he'd called Gary out by accusing him of not knowing the emotions Ash was going through. But dammit, Ash was angry too! Not to mention all the worries and emotions over the last few days were surging back through him, combined with new ones he couldn't explain.

That's why Ash's mind blanked when he threw the first punch. Rage was boiling over inside the man, and there was no stopping it at this point. Guilt over what he'd just done stabbed at his heart, fueling the rage blinding his common sense. Gary received the punch, but did not let Ash land the second one. He dodged it and lurched forward, tackling Ash onto his back. The boys snarled and grunted, trading blows as they rolled across the rock. Ash's veins grew colder and colder by the minute, screaming at him to bring back the warmth Misty had provided. Gary's fist was not a good supplement.

They were too caught up to notice Ampharos begin whining. It waved its arms and tried to get their attention, but it was for naught. Ash and Gary were perfectly content with taking their frustrations out on each other. But then, something akin to a small roar vibrate their eardrums. The boys stopped with Gary on top of Ash, his fist raised. Ash frowned as the sound came again from the depths of the sea, causing the very rock they were perched on to shudder ever so slightly. Had they not been paying close attention, they never would've noticed.

Ash was looking up at Gary, and past him he could see the stars above. His eyes widened as a green aurora flittered into existence. Faint at first, but slowly growing in brightness and size. Gary craned his neck back to see what Ash was looking at, and his grip loosened on Ash's shirt. The aurora snaked it's way across the entire length of the night sky. Now changing colors between a deep blue and shining red. Yellows and Oranges were mixed in, twisting and twirling throughout the anomaly.

"What is that?" Ash asked.

"I…I don't know," Gary replied, trailing the aurora with his eyes.

The sound of rushing water reached their ears, and both boys snapped their attention to the ocean. Far out to sea, between each of the islands, water began rushing in strange patterns. Some twisted and morphed into a whirlpool, while other places surged like a raging river. Another subtle roar came from below the ocean, and almost as quickly as the events started, they stopped. Leaving the sky shimmering under its stars, and the ocean drifting lazily along.

Only now did Ash realize that part of the cold chilling his veins was coming from the breeze. The gentle, warm air of Shamouti Island had suddenly turned arctic. And it wasn't a lone breeze. Each passing gust of wind over Ash's skin left chills in its wake.

He felt Gary shiver, and it didn't take much longer for Gary to jump to his feet. "What the Hell just happened?"

* * *

Dawn shivered as the cold wind bristled against her bare thighs. Why did she have to wear a skirt? Oh, that's right. Because this was a tropical island and wasn't _suppose to be cold_! She shivered as another freezing gust brushed against her legs. Wonderful.

Not too long ago the festival officially came to an end. Most of their group had already said their goodbyes for the night and headed back to the hotel. Dawn had hung back, waiting to see if Gary would rejoin the festival and she could get a quick dance in with him. The sudden change in temperature changed her mind pretty quickly. Now she was walking through the streets, alone and shivering, cursing that their hotel was on the opposite side of town. She was also cursing whatever God decided to make her suffer. What had she done to deserve this misery? She was going to freeze to death out here!

Hope of living rekindled in her chest as the hotel came into view. Okay, maybe all that was a little dramatic, but damn did the wind have a bite to it. She at least swore her legs were going to be raw. As her foot connected with the sand on the beach, something to her right caught her attention. A silhouette of a familiar figure, briskly walking across the shoreline. Head hung low, shoulders slumped. Even from this distance, Dawn could recognize Misty's walk, and her friend appeared to be upset. Well, Misty had a right to be. It was supposed to be warm and beautiful during her wedding, not Sinnoh style temperatures.

"Hey, Misty!" Dawn called, but the woman walked on as if she couldn't hear the bluenette. Dawn frowned, and tried again. "Hey! Misty!"

Still the red head did not acknowledge her, continuing on her trek towards the hotel. Now that Dawn thought about it, that was a little weird. Misty was staying with Rudy at Carol and Melody's, so why was she headed for the Elemental Inn?

"Misty!" Dawn yelled this time, breaking into a sprint. She almost stumbled in the sand, but kept her footing. This time Misty did stop, though she did not turn to greet her friend as Dawn ran up. "There we go," the bluenette gasped through the harsh air as she reached Misty. "I thought maybe the cold had frozen your ears."

She thought her joke was clever, but Misty didn't even acknowledge the fact that she was being spoken too.

"Misty?" Dawn was slowly growing concerned for her friend's behavior. "Is something wrong?"

And suddenly, Dawn got an answer. "Everything's wrong," Misty replied with a sniffle. Her voice was groggy and wet, as if she'd been crying hard. "I…I did something very bad…"

Misty didn't face Dawn, but somehow the seriousness of the situation reached her. Dawn swallowed hard, and almost in a whisper asked, "What happened?"

"I….I…." Misty sniffled again, and an arm rose up to wipe her hidden face. Dawn blinked in confusion when she saw a yellow ribbon tied to Misty's wrist. "I can't say…"

"Why not?"

"Because I can't explain it?" Misty didn't sound so sure of herself. "I…just can't."

"I can't help you if you don't tell me," Dawn tried to reason softly. Another gust of cold air blew by, and Dawn shivered. She desperately wanted to get inside where it was warm, but Misty needed her first.

She waited for her friend to answer. To start any kind of sentence that might clue Dawn into what had happened, and when Misty did no such thing, she gently placed her hand on Misty's shoulder. "Misty-"

Misty jerked out of her gesture and whipped around. "I kissed, Ash!" Misty shouted. "I kissed him, and….and…"

Misty choked on her sob. Dawn got a look at Misty's face for the first time, and as would be expected, Misty looked awful. Stricken with guilt and horror, tear stains ran down her cheeks. Her lower lip shuddered continuously, telling Dawn that Misty was barely holding herself together. Without warning, Misty collapsed to her knees. Dawn dropped with her, catching the girl as she fell into the bluenette's shoulder.

"What am I going to tell Rudy?" Misty sobbed.

Dawn didn't have an answer, and frankly, she didn't think Misty really wanted her to answer that question. Hell, she was still processing what Misty just told her. She could feel herself splitting apart at the seems. Jealousy bubbled deep, deep down. A long forgotten feeling trying to resurface in her emotions. It was being overpowered by the grief Dawn felt for her friend, and the turmoil she must feel within herself. Helplessness hovered over her heart as Misty cried, because Dawn didn't have the faintest idea what to say or do.

This must be how Misty felt, only a hundred times worse.

The weather wasn't being helpful, as it decided to chill Dawn to the bone with more bursts of wind. She shivered, feeling Misty do the same against her. Realizing that in Misty's condition she was liable to catch a cold much easier, Dawn spoke. "Come on, let's get you out of this wind. You can stay with me for the night. We'll figure out what to do tomorrow."

"I..I…I have to tell Rudy…."

"Hey," Dawn said gently. When Misty only continued sobbing, Dawn tried again. "Hey." Misty stifled her sobs so she could hear her friend. "We'll figure it out tomorrow," Dawn repeated with finality. "Now come on. Let's go."

She was relieved when Misty complied and started to stand with her. Her orange hair bristled in Dawn's face from the wind, but she ignored it, making sure to keep one arm around Misty to help guide her to the hotel. Her emotions were a minor mirror of the woman next to her, swirling dozens of thoughts through her head so fast she was getting dizzy. It was a wonder Misty had made it this far in her state. Dawn was sure she would've collapsed and cried in whatever spot she landed until morning. She could only imagine the guilt…

Dawn knew Misty, and the fiery woman never did anything she didn't want to do. There was no way that kiss was accidental, which left the question, what on Earth happened between her and Ash to cause such an act? Especially two days before Misty's wedding? She wouldn't get an answer tonight, but one thing was for sure, this weekend just got complicated.

* * *

 **Hey hey, everyone! Last chapter seemed really well received, which makes me happy :)**

 **Ash and Misty had their first big moment! Who was as happy as me? Haha Naturally it wouldn't be easy, after all there is supposed to be a wedding, that involves Misty. I think its safe to say that things will be getting interesting mwahahaha**

 **Some of you were spot on with your guesswork about who Gary liked. Bravo to those who figured it out! As you see, things are starting to pick up. I debated about whether or not to keep Gary's love life in the dark for a while longer, but decided against it. I thought it fit very well to reveal it here instead of much later. What do you guys think? As always, let me know!**


	6. Chapter 6

"What do you mean you didn't see it?" Bonnie asked Clemont accusingly. "I told you to get out of bed and go look!"

"Sorry, Bonnie," Clemont yawned as the pair made their way downstairs into the hotel lobby. Serena walked in line beside them. "I fell back asleep as soon as you quit knocking."

Bonnie pouted. "And it was so pretty, too. Your loss I suppose, right Serena?"

"Hm?" Serena hummed, turning her head to see Bonnie looking up at her. "Oh, right!" She nodded.

"It is a shame I missed such an event," Clemont agreed. "But I'm sure I'll get the chance to see another Aurora in the future. I wonder why there was one last night? From what I've learned about the Orange Islands, that's not a phenomenon that happens here."

"Maybe some of the locals would know?" Serena suggested.

"Or that Melody girl," Bonnie added. "She seems like she's pretty smart."

Serena huffed to herself at the mention of Melody. She was not a fan of that girl, or how close she kept getting to Ash.

The trio entered into a small dining hall, with a buffet on the far side of the room. A short line was forming, and Serena caught sight of Ash's Mother chatting with Professor Oak.

"Go get us a table, Bonnie, and I'll fill up your plate," Clemont said.

"Okay!" She exclaimed and zoomed off.

"No matter how early she gets up, she always so energetic," Serena commented with a smile.

"It's exhausting sometimes," Clemont sighed as the pair stepped in line behind an elder man.

"You sure you're just not exhausted from all the dancing last night?" Serena questioned him.

Clemont's cheeks turned a bit pink, but he shook it off. "That has nothing to do with it!"

Serena giggled, and nudged the back of his arm with her elbow. "Whatever you say, but you did come back and ask for another dance."

Clemont responded with a sound mixed between a grunt and a nervous laugh, making Serena giggle again. As they grabbed their plates and filled them, Serena happened to glance over her shoulder for Bonnie. The little blonde girl had found a seat beside May and Tracey. Serena had to double blink when she saw May inhaling food at such a pace it would give Ash a run for his money. Plates filled with heaps of eggs, bacon, toast, and sausage, Clemont and Serena soon joined them.

"Morning, Guys," Tracey greeted. "Sleep well?"

"I slept like a Snorlax," Serena told him. "These hotel beds are so comfortable."

"Tell me about it," May joined in, mouth stuffed with food. She swallowed before continuing, "Even my own bed isn't as soft as those."

As they broke into small talk, Tracey checked his watch and frowned.

"Hey, Clemont?" He leaned over to speak with the inventor. "Have you seen Ash at all?"

"Ash?" Clemont repeated. "Now that you mention it, no. I don't think he came back to the room last night."

"That's what I thought," Tracey nodded. "It's not like him to miss breakfast. He's always the first in line, and I haven't seen him yet either, plus he left Pikachu with me all night."

Clemont frowned, "That's not like Ash at all. Where is Pikachu now?"

"Waiting outside for Ash to come back," Tracey informed him. "It was hard to tell, but I think Pikachu didn't want to eat until he knew Ash was okay."

Clemont turned his gaze around the dining hall, and spotted Professor Oak and Delia sitting with three women who had yellow, blue, and pink hair. They looked an awful lot like Misty, and Clemont reasoned they were probably her sisters. As he continued looking around, he noticed Ash wasn't the only one missing. Dawn, Brock, and Gary weren't there either.

Hopefully nothing had happened.

* * *

Misty had sleepless nights before. Restless mind syndrome plagued her when they would camp out in the middle of a bug filled forest, or the night before an important day, or when Ash's consistent snoring nearly brought down their surroundings. This time, Misty wasn't just antsy or scared or annoyed. This time, she was mortified. She was happy. She was every emotion rolled into one sloppy display.

Her mind raced, replaying events, imagining conversations, thinking of ways to avoid this situation she found herself in altogether. Tribal drums boomed in her heart, butterflies made her stomach queasy, and frustration boiled over all because of a certain raven haired trainer. She wanted to scream, to shout, to pull at her hair and curse the heavens themselves. She didn't do any of that. All she could bring herself to do was lie on whatever soft surface she was on and keep her eyes closed. She was afraid if she opened them, tears would come roaring back.

Most of the night she cried, surely annoying Dawn, but the bluenette never said a word. Leaving Misty to cry and boil in her own pity and self loathing. How could she have done such a thing to Rudy? What was she supposed to tell him? He knew she had a crush on Ash a long time ago. After all, he hinted at it heavily back when Ash challenged him during the Orange League. But he, and even Misty, thought those feelings had died long ago.

She'd been so excited to see him sitting at the stone table, so overcome with joy to see her childhood friend that she practically tackled him from behind. When Melody chose him as the Chosen One, a spark ignited deep within her. The familiar spark she'd get right before some big adventure her, Ash, and Brock would have. There was something else, however, a hint of jealousy over how close Melody had been leaning to Ash, and how red it was making him.

Then they had a moment to catch up, sitting side by side by the trees. And then the running, the beach, the sand, the stars…it was all so… _romantic_. The thought sent a shiver through her spine. It wasn't a bad shiver, more like a longing desire. A feeling long forgotten.

When he'd gave her the ribbon, and she'd hugged him, a familiar scent entered her nose. One she'd almost forgotten. The sweet mixture of Earth and rain, something only Ash ever smelled like. And when she pulled away, seeing his deep brown eyes under the moonlight…she was lost. The game was over. Feelings she'd thought long dead surged back to life, consuming her in the moment.

It had all been too surreal, too euphoric. It was as if the last two years she'd spent with Rudy didn't mean anything. Thrown out the window like a wad of paper. Discarded to make room for the swelling in her heart. The moment Gary interrupted them, everything shattered. Crashing around her with a deafening roar. Her feelings for Rudy resurfaced, but those for Ash did not vanish. She could feel herself splitting apart at the seams, that was why she ran. If she could get away from Ash and calm herself down, then she could think and come up with a game plan. That frame of mind eluded her, however, as more and more confusing thoughts forced their way in.

 _More thoughts of Ash._

 _More thoughts of Rudy._

 _The warm, buzzing feeling Ash produced within her when he smiled._

 _The safety and security Rudy brought her._

 _The confidence and encouragement Ash enforced._

 _The clear future Rudy provided._

 _The way Ash's lips felt against hers, sparking like a jolt of electricity._

 _The way Rudy would be crushed when he found out._

Back and forth her thoughts battled all night, up until sunlight peeked through the cracks in the blind. Maybe she'd nodded off once or twice, but it wasn't for very long. She could feel the tiredness in her muscles, in her soul. So she lay perfectly still, refusing to open her eyes. Refusing to acknowledge that she would have to face this situation eventually.

Suddenly there was a loud knocking sound, and Misty heard the pitter patter of small feet scurry across the room. A door opened, and she heard Brock's voice. "Morning, Dawn."

"Hey, Brock," Dawn spoke with a low voice. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if you've seen Ash," Brock asked, the curiousness for Dawn's behavior evident in his tone. "But you don't look like you've made it out yet. Is everything okay?"

"That depends on your definition of okay."

Keeping her eyes closed, Misty frowned. Surely Dawn wouldn't tell the others what happened? It _was_ Brock, so if anyone was trustworthy it was certainly him, but still. Misty wasn't sure if she was ready for anyone else to know just yet.

"Is it something I'd be able to help you with?"

"Probably not," Dawn replied, keeping her voice low. "No need to worry though, I think everything will be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Almost positive," Dawn's tone became a little more chipper.

"Well, alright. Will you make it down to breakfast?"

"Probably not," Dawn said again, and Misty had a mental image of the bluenette shaking her head. "I'll make it to lunch though! Everyone's still meeting up later, right?"

"Yeah," Brock replied. "Delia rented out the room to celebrate Ash."

"And he still doesn't know?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Brock said. "That's why I'm trying to find him. I'm supposed to keep him distracted today. Although, being picked as the Chosen One will probably do a lot of that for me since he has to travel to each Island."

"That is true. Well if I see him I'll tell him to find you."

"Thanks, Dawn. See you later."

"Hey!" Dawn said a little louder. "Is it still cold out?"

There was a pause, and then Brock asked, "Cold?"

"It was freezing when I came back last night."

"I don't know," Brock answered her. "I haven't been outside yet. What do you mean it was freezing? It was warm when I made it back."

"The cold came out of no where," Dawn told him. "It felt like Sinnoh in the wintertime."

"Strange. I'll check and shoot you a message on your PokeGear."

"Thanks, Brock. See ya later."

The door closed with a snap, and Misty heard Dawn cross the room. There was some shuffling, and then a long sigh. "You can quit pretending. I know you're awake. You've been making faces for the last hour."

"Can you go back to thinking I'm still asleep?" Misty asked, noticing there was a croak to her voice.

"Do you think that will help your situation?"

"No," Misty replied honestly, and going against what she wanted to do, she opened her eyes. Sitting up was kind of a relief, since she hadn't realized how much her head was spinning. Due to the alcohol she'd had last night, or the crazy monsoon of thoughts, she didn't know.

Her bloodshot eyes found Dawn sitting in an armchair across a coffee table from the couch. She was dressed for the day, wearing a pair of blue jeans with a pink hoodie and her usual black and white beanie. A coffee cup was in her hands, which she was taking a sip from. The coffee pot itself had been set on the table between them, with another cup for Misty. Dawn let her friend pour herself some and take a long sip with a sigh.

"Thanks," Misty said, raising her cup.

"I figured you'd need it," Dawn replied. Misty just hummed as she took another sip and lowered her gaze to the floor. The pair sat in silence, sipping their coffee for a long while until Dawn finally said something. "So, are you going to talk about it?"

"Do I have to?"

"You should."

Misty almost said she didn't want to talk about it. That she wanted to bury it all and forget it ever happened. But that wouldn't be fair to Ash. He was surely in a lost state right now, off alone somewhere, trying to figure himself out. With a sigh, Misty lowered her cup to her lap and said, "I don't really know how to talk about it."

"Maybe tell me what happened?" Dawn suggested. "That might be a good start."

She found it hard to begin, but eventually Misty launched into the story. Starting with when her and Ash ran so he didn't have to dance with May. Misty told her every detail, down to the returning feelings she felt for Ash and the causes behind them coming back. Dawn didn't mutter a single sound as she listened, remaining silent like a diary. A small gesture saying the things Misty was telling her would be in good hands.

Even when Misty finished, the bluenette remained silent, her eyes traveling to the floor. Misty could see a faint hurt far behind Dawn's eyes, and for a moment wondered if she'd just crushed Dawn's crush with her actions. Not liking the silence anymore, Misty spoke. "Dawn?"

Dawn looked up, the hurt vanishing in a blink. "Wow, Misty. This really sucks."

"Tell me about it…" Misty sighed, her shoulders slumping more so than they already were. "What am I supposed to do?"

"I can't tell you," Dawn replied. "I don't know, but I do have a question?"

Misty looked up.

"Did Gary seem alright?"

Misty frowned. "Gary? I'm sure he was fine. He seemed happy enough."

Dawn looked down to the floor before saying, "Are you sure? I…I think he has a thing for you."

Misty's skin visibly paled, and her breath shortened. "W…What?"

"I not a hundred percent sure," Dawn quickly added. "So don't freak out. He just…hinted that he liked someone. I don't know who though."

Misty's face fell into her palms. "Just wonderful. So you're telling me not only did I do something to hurt Rudy, but I've also hurt Ash and now Gary too? Can this day get any worse?"

"That's not what I meant!" Dawn quickly defended with a bead of sweat forming on the side of her head. "Sorry, I'm sure you and Ash will figure things out. I'm just worried about Gary too."

"Right," Misty sighed. "You know, I never thought I'd be a runaway bride, but now…"

"Misty," Dawn's tone turned stern. "You know you can't do that to Ash and Rudy."

"I knooowwww!" Misty groaned. "But the thought is nice…"

"I…I do have another question?"

"Hm?"

"Do you still want to marry Rudy?"

Misty's head snapped up, her aquamarine eyes widening at the question. She was going to say ' _of course!_ ', but upon seeing the serious curiosity on Dawn's face, Misty hesitated. And in that hesitation, she found herself asking the same question. Did she really still want to marry Rudy? Would it even be fair to the man to go through with it if she couldn't be faithful?

Her heart might as well have stopped, and her very nerve system buzzed with a numbing sensation. "I…I…I don't know…" she said as her head dropped.

Dawn inhaled a long breath, deep concern growing in her eyes. "You know not a single one of your friends will blame you for what happened, right?"

Misty looked up again, and frowned. "What do you mean?"

"If you decide you can't go through with it...that…that you want Ash, not a single one of us will blame you. You know we'll all support yours, and his, decisions till the end," Dawn said with a smile. "Plus I think all of us saw a thing between the two of you coming anyway."

Misty didn't have a reply, but she could feel her heart warming all the same. Dawn's PokeGear dinged once, and she quickly fished it from her jeans pocket to check the message. After she read it, she pocketed it once more and sat her cup down on the coffee table.

"I have to leave. I told Delia I'd help set up for Ash's surprise party," she said, standing up. As she walked across the room, towards the door, she continued, "You stay here as long as you need to. I turned your phone off a few hours ago. It was ringing nonstop from…Rudy."

Misty swallowed hard and hid her face once more into her palms.

"I imagine Delia also called once or twice to tell you about Ash's party. I'll let her know you can't make it," Dawn added as she slipped on her shoes. "Brock just told me it's still cold out, so if you decide to leave I have a spare jacket in the bedroom you can use."

Misty didn't reply, only making a small nodding motion into her hands. It was hard to tell, but Dawn could see the breakdown her friend had coming.

"If you need anything, just call me, okay?" Dawn said. "I'll help you through this in anyway that I can."

With that said, Dawn exited the hotel room, leaving Misty to let herself break down and cry. Something the red head severely wanted to do.

* * *

He wasn't sure why, but after hours of aimlessly walking around the Island, Ash found himself sitting on the stone platform at the shrine, overlooking the ocean towards the other Islands. Dark circles hovered under his eyes from the lack of sleep the previous night. Which he deserved. A warm bed was a luxury, not a punishment. No, he deserved to stay awake all night in this freezing cold.

After whatever transpired the previous night, after the Aurora glistened across the sky, after the ocean raged and jarred him and Gary from their fight, he realized he single handedly destroyed a wedding. Gary had been right. Rudy would be crushed, Misty was probably confused and hurt, and everyone would no doubt blame him. Which was what he deserved.

What had he been thinking?! What on Earth possessed him to kiss Misty like that?! She was getting married! Even if a miracle had happened, that Ash Ketchum realized his true feelings for Misty, that didn't grant him the right to do what he'd done. And Gary was right on another account. What was this going to do to Serena? Ash hadn't even given any thought into if he liked her like that at all. That wasn't fair to her, especially after the risk she took kissing him on live TV. Some Champion he was…the most selfish one out there.

A strong breeze blew by, bringing the smell of salt water and a harsh shiver. He certainly wasn't dressed for this kind of cold, but his Kalos hoodie did help.

The sharp air brought his wondering thoughts back to himself, and for the millionth time since he parted ways with Gary, he wondered where the cold air had come from. Now that his mind was a little more focused, he noted that the night life Pokemon he'd seen as he walked around the Island had been acting strange. He'd been on enough crazy adventures to know that usually meant something was happening, but what? He hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary since the Aurora last night. The sky was overcast, and a storm was forming off in the distance, but that probably had to do with the cold weather.

As he shivered again, he yearned for the warmth Misty provided. The way his heart quickened as she scooted closer…

SMACK!

He slapped himself and violently shook his head. He wasn't going to allow himself to think those thoughts. As far as anyone was concerned, he would never bring up what happened and he was going to hide until the weekend was over. He wasn't going to ruin Misty's wedding anymore than he already had.

His brown eyes turned downward towards the ocean, watching the waves lap against the beach. That was when he noticed a figure staring back up at him. A Slowking, with its arms folded behind its back. It stood unmoving, eyes locked onto Ash with a curious stare. A strange tingle ran through his spine as the Pokémon looked at him, as if it knew him. Though he was sure he hadn't seen this Slowking before.

He found himself growing more and more uncomfortable as the seconds drug on, and still the Slowking did not move. Continuing to stare up at him with the same unwavering expression. Ash fidgeted in place, wanting to break eye contact, but finding he was unable to do so. When he felt like he was about to burn away under the Pokemon's stare, a familiar voice called out and broke his trance.

"There you are, Ash!" Brock's tones floated over from the stone staircase. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

Ash blinked and turned towards his friend, spotting the smiling face of Brock coming closer. Still confused from the Slowking, Ash turned back to see the Pokémon and blanched. It was gone, with no trace as to where it went.

"What are you doing way out here by yourself?" Brock asked, stopping beside his friend. "You look a little sick too, you okay?"

"I'm fine," Ash replied, hearing the stiffness in his voice. "Just thought I saw a Pokémon down there."

"I don't see one."

"Like I said, I _thought_ I saw one. What are you doing here, Brock?"

"You're supposed to collect those treasures from the Islands today, remember?" Brock said. "You were picked at the festival last night."

Right, how could Ash have forgotten about that? "Yeah," he replied slowly. "I suppose I should do that, huh?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Brock asked again. "Is something bothering you?"

"You could say that," Ash said before he could stop himself.

"What's on your mind?"

Ash unfolded his legs and stood up, "It's really not important. Come on, I bet Melody is already waiting on me."

"She is," Brock confirmed. "I'll take you to the pier, and I'll shoot Tracey a message. Pikachu was still with him when I left the hotel."

"That'd be great, thanks, Brock."

As the pair started walking away from the edge, passing the shrine, Brock asked, "Did you turn your PokeGear off? I tried to call you plenty of times."

"I forgot to charge it, so it died," Ash lied, remembering the exact moment he shut the device off in case anyone tried to call him.

Brock shook his head. "If you didn't travel with companions, I'm sure you'd still be lost in Kalos."

"I have a great sense of direction," Ash retorted, feeling some of his defensive self return.

"And Misty has the attitude of a Smoochum," Brock shot back.

Little did he know the hard twang he'd just caused Ash's heart to receive. He was about to fire a response back, something to tear his mind away from the feeling of Misty's lips on his, when the wind did it for him. He wasn't sure, but he turned his gaze back towards the shrine as he heard his name being whispered. Or had it been his name? It was hard to tell. Maybe it had been a song?

Brock continued on towards the steps as Ash stopped and stared at the shrine.

"Ash?" Brock asked when he noticed the man was no longer with him.

"Coming," Ash replied, giving the shrine one last look over. The same sense of foreboding, felt when he first laid eyes on the stone, pierced his soul as he tore his eyes away and headed for Brock.

* * *

Gary ran a hand through his hair, making a face at the dirt and grime he could feel. Like Ash, he too never returned to the hotel. Unlike Ash, he wasn't pondering his love life and the mistake he made. Well, maybe a little bit about the love life part. Dawn certainly had crossed his mind as he wondered the Island. Mostly, though, he was racking his brain over what could've caused the Aurora him and Ash had seen. And what would've caused the ocean to behave the way it did.

He started with the strange flashes of light he'd seen coming from Fire Island, and even traveled back to the same spot to see if there was something he might've missed. Being so far from the Island, however, didn't help his cause. Next he ran through every fact about the weather and Shamouti Island he was aware of. Still he could not come up with a solution, so he took to wandering around the Island.

The first thing he noticed was many of the Pokémon were acting strange. A group of Nidoran were huddled together on the shoreline, staring out to see, completely ignoring Gary as he passed by. Bird Pokémon rustled in the treetops, fidgeting and cawing enough to cause even Gary's nervousness to spike. All marine Pokémon seemed to completely vanish, suggested by the strange calmness from the waters currents. That wasn't a detail most people would notice, as the ocean still sloshed to and fro against the shore. Misty probably would have though.

When he reached that point, that was when his mind traveled to Dawn. He couldn't stand the thought of seeing her smiling face affected by what Ash had done. In his lifetime, Gary had been surrounded and chased by many women. That was just the blessing of being Gary _Motherfucking_ Oak, and he loved it. It all changed when he met Dawn.

Sure, she was a little star struck that he was the Grandson of the famous Professor Oak, but there was something different in the way she looked at him. Like he was her equal, and that captured his interest. Granted, he hadn't thought of her as more than Ash's new friend at first, but since he stayed in Sinnoh studying under Professor Rowan, he started running into her more and more.

The first time she showed up at the lab without Ash was the first day Gary really saw her. Some assistant accidentally let a rampaging Ursaring loose and Rowan charged Gary with retrieving it. Dawn accompanied him and the duo wound up on a crazy adventure worthy of Ash himself, saving the Ursaring from a nasty Pokémon Poacher. As he watched her battle, saw her courage in the face of danger, and witnessed her compassion towards people and Pokémon, Gary couldn't help the feelings growing in his heart.

And in something that was uncharacteristic of the man, he was going to approach her and talk about his feelings. Yuck. He stopped short, however, when Ash was brought up and he saw the excitement light up in her eyes. Instead, when she asked him what he wanted to talk about, he laughed and said, "Great job out there today. Ashy-boy would've been proud."

Despite realizing he was never going to have her, he still greeted her warmly when she showed up at the lab, or teased her mercilessly when she called for Rowan looking disheveled from an insane adventure. He took her out to eat when she was in town, and even watched a few of her contests in person with Rowan. All the while, Gary found himself enjoying her smiling face more and more. Now, he was going to have to see her hurt, and he just didn't know if he could handle that. He cursed Ash as his foot connected with the concrete of the sidewalk and he approached the Elemental Inn. Was it too much to hope that somehow Dawn would never find out about what happened?

Shaking his mind free of so many thoughts, Gary crossed the threshold into the hotel, desperately wanting a shower. It would be nice to get back to his room and sleep for a few hours. Not to mention grab the coat from his bag. The weather never warmed back up, and it was freezing outside. Which still baffled Gary.

A brunette stood with her back to him in the lobby, a PokeGear raised to her cheek as she twirled a green bandanna around with her other hand.

"I know, Drew," Gary heard her say. "It is pretty strange, but I think we can handle a little cold weather."

As Gary passed her, a hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder. He stopped, turning to see May looking at him and holding up a finger, indicating for him to wait.

"Oh, suck it up," May said into the PokeGear with a smirk. "Hey, I gotta get going, they still need my help. I'll call you later okay?"

She paused again as Gary assumed the other person was talking.

"I love you too," May said as a blush formed on her cheeks. "Bye." With that, she clicked her PokeGear shut and turned to Gary. "There you are! Professor Oak has been looking for you."

"Well here I am," Gary replied. "Do you win something for finding me first?"

"If only, but I'm not sure it'd be great surprise. It is just you after all."

"I don't know where you get your facts, Saph, but any prize worthy of representing me would be priceless," Gary remarked with a smirk.

May shook her head, mainly at the use of the nickname Gary had given her. Somehow he'd heard a past nickname from when she was very young, and decided to use a shortened version.

"I really wish you'd stop calling me that," May told him.

"Why? Drew uses it," Gary wiggled his brow. "I just heard him." In an attempt to sound like Drew, Gary raised his tone an octave and spoke sickeningly sweet, "Bye Bye my Little Sapphire, love you bunches."

May's cheeks burned bright red and the fumes were practically visible radiating from her head. Sometimes she regretted telling Drew that nickname. And no matter how many times she tried to figure it out, she had no idea where Gary first heard it.

"Sometimes you're a real jerk, Gary!" May barked.

He simply laughed, and waved her down. "Chill out. You're too wound up." To tell the truth, it was nice to have a distraction from all of his thoughts. Even if it was at May's expense. "Where's Gramps now?"

Deflated by his sudden change in topic, May's cheeks returned to their normal color and she replied, "Oh, he's in the party room with the others."

"Party room?" Gary blinked a few times before he remembered. Delia had told him about Ash's surprise congratulations party shortly after he'd arrived on Shamouti. Ash had no idea, thinking he would have to wait until next weekend. "Right," Gary added. "Lead the way."

He really didn't want to see anybody else right now, but he had to pretend like nothing had happened. Typically Gary reveled in Ash's embarrassment, but this time around it was far more serious. Gary liked to rile his longtime rivals up, but even he wouldn't throw Ash or Misty under the bus by telling everyone what he'd witnessed.

May led him to a backroom of the hotel, a private room that could be rented out to the guests for special events. Inside, a large table was being decorated by Delia and his Grandfather while Dawn sat in the corner with Piplup. Both of them were struggling with a slew of PokeBall themed streamers. At the sight of her, Gary's heart skipped a couple beats. She had her nose scrunched up, and her tongue halfway out as she concentrated on unraveling the paper decorations.

Delia looked up when May and Gary entered, and she smiled. "I take it Drew is doing alright without you?" She asked.

"He's fine," May replied, moving to the table to help Delia place Pikachu style party hats at each seat. "He did say something about it getting cold back in Hoenn too-"

"Wait," Gary interrupted her, tearing his eyes away from Dawn as he heard that tidbit of info. "It's getting cold in Hoenn now?"

Professor Oak looked up upon hearing Gary's voice, "There you are, Gary. Glad you could finally join us."

"Yeah, I'm here Gramps," Gary tossed his way, then said to May, "Any chance Drew was exaggerating?"

"He doesn't stretch the truth like you, Gary," May said with a sly smile. "He said something about it getting into record low temperatures in Slateport."

So Gary's original mindset was right. Something strange was going on.

"That's actually why I was looking for you, Gary," Professor Oak said. "I was hoping you could tell me what time it started getting cold."

"It was before midnight," Gary racked his brain. "Around eleven I think? I also noticed the Pokémon were acting strange."

"Yes, I noticed that as well," Oak nodded. "I'm afraid this is something I may need to look into, I was hoping I was wrong." He turned to Delia, "You'll have to excuse me, there are some calls I really should make."

"Go right on ahead, Professor," Delia said to him. "Gary, the girls, and I can handle this here."

"I'll keep everyone informed on what I find," Oak said, and with a nod, quickly swept from the room.

"Do you really think something is going on?" May asked Gary, a little worried.

All he could do was shrug, because whatever reply he'd been about to give her was cut off by a loud yelp from Dawn, a crash, and Piplup's worried cries.

Gary spun around, arms raised and ready to leap into action. Dawn was wriggling in the floor, wrapped almost like a cocoon in the streamers. Piplup waved its tiny arms to and fro, chirping nonstop in Dawn's face to see if she was okay. The bluenette growled and fidgeted against her restraints, going limp with a dejected sigh when she was unable to break free.

May broke into a loud laugh, doubling over against the table. Even Delia started to giggle, much to the annoyance of Dawn. "This isn't funny!" She barked. "One of you help-"

She craned her neck to glare up at the two laughing women, and locked eyes with Gary. Somehow she hadn't noticed him before, and felt her cheeks burning red as he stared at her dumbfounded. Then he too broke into laughter, and she snapped. "SOMEONE HELP ME OUT OF THIS!" She wailed, her frustration evident.

Gary, still laughing, stepped forward to her side. He bent down to his knees and slid a hand under her back. Using his other hand to steady her, he lifted Dawn into a sitting position. A spark shot through her at his touch, simmering some of her frustration.

"I think that was the best thing I'll see all day," May said with a shaky breath, wiping away a tear with her wrist.

"Piplup," Dawn said. "Use Drill Peck on May's shins."

"Wha-" May started to say, but Piplup being the loyal penguin he was, broke into a sprint towards the brunette. When his beak lit up, she emitted a high pitch shriek and bolted around the table. Round and round they went, with May shouting for Piplup to stop, only receiving a chirp of defiance from the water type.

As the commotion went on behind him, Gary unwrapped Dawn. Taking care not to damage the streamers anymore than Dawn just did.

"So, are you okay?" Dawn asked in barely a whisper.

The strange question caught him off guard, and he let it show. Shouldn't he be the one asking that question? "I get to unwrap you're clumsy ass," he smirked, "and May's being chased by a foot tall Pokémon. This is the best day of my life."

She narrowed her eyes at him, as if she was searching his expression for something. "You know you can talk to me, right?"

His smirk fell. Now he was completely bewildered. What was she going on about? Did she think he was dying or something?

"I know," he stopped pulling at the streamers for a moment. "If I had something to talk about, you'd be the first person I'd go to."

It was a strange feeling, being so honest without any sarcasm peppered into his tone. It must've surprised Dawn too, because her cheeks went from a red to a pink and she looked a little flustered. Her eyes went to the floor, so Gary resumed his task of freeing her from her constraints. As he pulled the last one away, he was about to stand up when Dawn raised her hand. She made a fist in front of him, and held it there motionless. Gary blinked at it a few times before he realized what she wanted. It was something she started doing right after they had saved the Ursaring from the Poachers.

Shaking his head, he formed his own hand into a fist and bumped it against hers. "I don't know why you insist on doing that."

"Because I can," she retorted, rising to her feet. "It's a sign of friendship."

"If you say so," Gary smirked, standing up to his full height.

"I do, so deal with it, WiseOak," Dawn returned his smirk.

A pang of annoyance hit him. WiseOak was a name she coined on the same day she started fist bumping him. So, what was Gary to do? Use the nickname he came up with upon seeing her hair, after a direct hit from a Thunder Bolt.

"Whatever you say, Sparkles."

Looking unamused by Gary's reply, Dawn folded her arms and said, "Hey, Piplup. Drill Peck Gary instead."

A loud cry of ' _Lup!_ ' rang from behind the researcher, and his snarky attitude vanished. He whipped around just in time to see May hiding behind Delia, and a small blue penguin soaring towards him.

* * *

Ash's steps changed from the crunching of soft sand beneath his feet to dull thuds from the wooden pier. More boats than he could count were lined along the docks. Some were small one man fishing boats, ranging up to large private yachts. Sails were being drawn, men were barking orders to one another, and all the while it seemed as if the sea was steadily growing unhappy. Probably to do with the storm still forming on the horizon.

"Do you think we can collect all of the treasures before that storm arrives?" Ash asked to Brock, who was matching his pace beside him.

"If not, I'm sure Melody will know," Brock replied. "She's probably done this a thousand times."

"Yeah," Ash agreed, turning his eyes back out towards the ocean. Once more, it was as if something was trying to call out to him. Something that only he could sense. But for the life of him, he didn't have the faintest idea what it could be.

"There you are!"

Ash stopped when he heard the female shout, and looked around. It took until Melody was standing almost right in front of him before he noticed her. She was wearing dark green hoodie zipped up tight.

"Wha!" He took a step back upon seeing her scowl. "Hey, Melody."

"Don't try to use your cuteness to get out of this," she warned him. "You're late. We should've left hours ago."

"Sorry," he apologized, cheeks turning red at the blatant way she called him cute. "I lost track of the time."

Melody's frown faded, but she straightened her posture and folded her arms. "Yeah, well, you're here now, so we should get a move on if we want to beat that storm."

"Right."

"Hey! Ash!"

Once more Ash was stopped by hearing someone shout, but this time he located who was shouting for him. Thanks in part because there was a certain yellow mouse atop his head.

Tracey waved over to them, and Ash spotted Clemont and Bonnie with him, each wearing their usuals blue coats. He also saw Serena, wearing her red jacket, and she smiled bright when they locked eyes. It was as if his blood froze cold, chilling him down to his very core. He was in no mental state to be around Serena! Not after all the revelations he'd had the night before. He still hadn't had time to process everything by himself yet. How was he supposed to act normal? Or was he even supposed to?

"I got your text, Brock," Tracey said as the two groups merged. "I'm glad we made it in time."

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cried happily, leaping from Tracey's head to Ash's shoulder.

Despite the turmoil inside of him, Ash couldn't resist the chuckle in his chest as Pikachu nuzzled against his cheek.

"Hey, buddy," Ash said. "Sorry I didn't come back last night."

"Pika Pikachu," the mouse patted his shoulder.

"Was everything alright?" Serena asked. "Did something happen?"

Forcing himself to look at her, Ash gave her a smile and a small head shake. "Nah, everything was fine. I just needed to be alone for a while."

"As long as everything's okay," Clemont said.

"Everything's fine," Ash lied, feeling the pit forming in his gut. He wasn't sure why lying about what he and Misty did caused him to feel so empty, but he didn't like it.

"See, I told you guys Ash was just fine," Bonnie said to the older trainers. "You were worried over nothing."

"Guess you were right, Bonnie," Serena said to the little girl, though she didn't look entirely convinced.

Ash could see the concern in her pretty blue eyes, so he pulled his gaze away from her to Melody. "Shall we get going?"

"Hours ago," Melody repeated. "Follow me!"

She broke into a light sprint across the pier, and Bonnie pulled her arms in close. "Ooohhhhh, I wanna go too!" She shouted and raced after Melody.

"Bonnie!" Clemont called, taking off after his sister.

Ash went to follow them, but Tracey stopped him. "Have fun out there, Ash," he said. "I'll be looking forward to the festival when you get back."

"You're not coming?" Ash asked.

Tracey shook his head. "Your Mother wants my help, so I told her I would."

Ash blinked, but then nodded. Knowing his Mother, it could be anything. "Alright, Tracey. We'll see you when we get back."

With that said, they parted ways and Ash, Brock, and Serena fell in line beside each other as they headed towards the direction Melody and the others disappeared to. Ash made sure to put Brock in the middle.

"I thought we'd only get to see Shamouti," Serena started. "I can't believe we get to see the other Islands too!"

"Yeah," Brock agreed. "Most tourists don't venture off the main Island, this will be a special treat."

"What do you think, Ash?" Serena asked, leaning around Brock with a smile.

"I'm pumped!" He replied, which wasn't a lie. He was definitely excited to see the other Islands and be Shamouti's Chosen One for the year. "Maybe we'll see some rare Pokémon while we're out there."

"That would be so cool!" Serena skipped ahead of them, turning to walk backwards. "Last night I was reading that the Islands of Fire, Ice, and Lightning are home to Moltres, Articuno, and Zapdos."

"The Legendary Birds?" Ash questioned.

"They're what the Elemental Festival is centered around," Brock explained. "And supposedly are the reasonings behind their Island's name."

"How come Melody didn't mention them last night?"

"She probably knew you'd want to rush off right away again," Brock reasoned.

"It'll be so cool if we get to see one of them!" Serena cooed, spinning around to face where she was walking. "I can only imagine…"

Ash stopped listening, turning to face the sound of a thunder boom that rolled across the ocean. The storm was still very far away, but having been around the ocean enough, he knew sounds could carry far across the waves.

"There they are!" came Bonnie's excited voice. She was leaning over the railing of a speedboat, waving and jumping in place. Dedenne had woken up and crawled from her bag, mimicking her actions. "Hurry up you guys! Melody says we're going to Fire Island first!"

Ash, Brock, and Serena hurried over to the boat, with Melody yelling for them to pick up the pace. As they boarded, none were aware of the magenta haired woman, a lavender haired man, and a furry child watching them from behind some newspapers. They chuckled to themselves and jumped to their feet as Ash hopped onto the boat.

* * *

Misty's legs were curled up to her chest as the explosion filled the TV screen. The announcers voice was booming through the speakers, narrating the battle. Since the start she'd been on the edge of her seat. Of course, what had she expected from the finals of the Kalos League?

Deciding she could no longer sit around and stew in her thoughts, Misty had gotten up and taken a long shower. Letting the steamy water wash away some of her worries. No matter how stressed or angry she ever was, there would always be something soothing about water. It was her go to for relaxation.

Next, after she was dried and clothed, she'd rummaged through the cabinets in Dawn's hotel room. Finding just enough food to make herself some breakfast. Not wanting to leave and venture out into the world just yet, Misty decided now would be as good a time as any to catch up and watch Ash's League match.

Her PokeGear lay on the countertop in the kitchen, still switched off as Misty didn't want to face Rudy yet. She wanted to remain in this dream where she was a teenager again, watching one of Ash's matches from the comfort of the Cerulean Gym.

" _And the Volt Tackle connected!"_ The announcers voice boomed. " _That was quite a hit for Charizard. Can the ferocious fire type recover?"_

Since the start of the match, it had been a fierce one. Alain was a strong trainer, but Ash was matching him move for move. Misty had never seen such confidence and determination on his face before. Almost like deep down he knew he was going to win. Another explosion rocked the battle field, and when the smoke cleared, Pikachu was standing as the victor.

" _Ladies and Gentlemen!"_ The announcer cheered. _"We have our new Kalos League Champion!"_

The crowd roared to life, and Misty found herself cheering right along with them. Ash looked utterly dumbfounded for a moment before he cracked the widest, crookedest grin Misty had ever seen him wear.

" _What's this?"_

The camera panned over, hovering over a honey blonde girl as she sprinted towards Ash. Misty recognized her, it was that Serena girl. She was waving to Ash as she raced for him, and the second before it happened Misty could feel her pulse slowing.

When Serena's lips landed on Ash's, Misty heart stopped.

Time ticked on agonizingly slow as Serena stayed pressed against Ash, and Misty's focus blurred. Each passing millisecond passed like an hour, ticking loudly in her ear. Something bubbled in her gut, quickly rising to her chest and bringing a fury like she'd never felt before.

Misty stood up, shaking with rage. She was going to find Ash Ketchum, and when she did, he was going to spend his last few moments screaming from the Hell and fury she was going to inflict.

* * *

A loud, angry caw came from far below. Muffled by the many floors between the man and his prize. He stood at the large window, overlooking Fire Island from the cloud cover the forming storm was providing. A delighted smirk formed on his face as the caw came again.

"Poor, Moltres," he said to himself. "You seem so miserable down there, but as they say, misery loves company."

Another loud caw rang from below. It was broken by a quick beep, and he raised his gaze. "What is it, Vi?"

" _Pokemon_ _Zapdos detected approaching Fire Island."_

Excitement tickled his chest. "It seems there's been a shift in the balance of Power."

* * *

 **GASP! We leave off in a peculiar place this time. As you can see, things are about to get going!**

 **I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, I certainly did. We got to see a little bit more into Gary's thoughts and his and Dawn's past. I like the idea of them having adventures in Sinnoh after Ash and Brock had to leave. And as smart as Dawn is, she's a lot like Ash too :p**

 **Misty's split mind was fun to write, the back and forth was entertaining for me lol.**

 **Until next time ya'll! Be sure to have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! As always, let me know what you think!**


	7. Chapter 7

The monotonous dull ringtone droned on, despite Professor Oak not really listening to it. He was in his hotel room, sitting in front of the videophone by his bedside. A deep frown was etched across his face, and his eyes glazed over with a faraway look. Not long after he'd returned to his room the previous night, his PokeGear rang from an assistant back at his lab. They were concerned about many of the Pokemon's behavior. Some were acting erratic, while others insisted on hiding or fleeing.

Next Oak discovered that the temperature was dropping severely. Not unheard of, but certainly uncommon. Especially in the Orange Islands. He'd made a few calls to see if anywhere else was experiencing the phenomenon, and received no such evidence, until May returned from her phone call with Drew. Quickly, Professor Oak made his way back to his room and flipped on the TV. Changing the channel until he found the Pokémon League International News.

His mouth fell open when he saw that not only were temperatures around the globe dropping, but storms were forming and dissipating within a matter of minutes, multicolored auras were spotted flickering across the sky, and even a few tornadoes were spotted in regions they rarely developed in. All air traffic had been placed on hold, and the majority of sea faring vessels had been called back to port.

What Oak was doing now was trying to contact the Pokémon League. If something serious was going on, they would be the first to look into it, and usually they wanted his help on matters such as this. For some reason, however, no matter how many times he dialed the Indigo Plateau, the call was never picked up.

He received the ' _Thank you for calling the Indigo Plateau! All our Customer Service Attendants are currently busy at the moment-'_

With a groan in his chest, Oak hung up the call. He leaned back in his chair, faintly listening to a news reporter from Kalos.

" _As you can see, the Twister is making its way towards Lumiose City. All citizens have been evacuated, under the order and guidance of Substitute Gym Leader, Clembot. Pokémon League Officials are issuing safety information across the region-"_

Professor Oak stood up. If he couldn't get ahold of the League to use their resources, he'd just have to use what the locals of Shamouti have to offer.

* * *

Red filled her vision. A rage boiling in her heart the likes of which she hadn't felt in many, many years. The funny thing was, this anger was directed at the same person who'd last caused it all those years ago. Ash _friggin_ Ketchum! Misty liked to think that her younger self had been tamed. That the rough and tough tomboy was all in the past. Sure she could still take care of herself, but she liked to think that as she grew older, she had matured into a well classed woman. This anger…this rage…made all that seem to vanish in the blink of an eye.

Honestly, what was she so mad about? Plenty of girls had kissed Ash before. What made Serena locking lips with Ash so different?…

Except of course for the fact that Misty's crush came roaring back _seconds_ before she herself decided it was a good idea to kiss him…And that thought fueled her rage to no extent. _How dare he?!_ How dare he have the gall to be in a relationship with someone else and go behind their back just to kiss Misty. How dare he take someone's trust and ignore it so willingly.

To be fair, she was just as guilty. Because wasn't she supposed to be getting married? And yet, she'd done the exact same thing. But Misty couldn't see that. Not through the blinding rage of the jealousy and betrayal in her heart. She'd deal with that situation momentarily. First she wanted to find Ash and utterly rip him apart for bringing up long dead feelings and taking advantage of them. And for betraying Serena in such a way. Ash, _of all people_ , should be better than that!

And so she marched through the center of town, barely recognizing crosswalk signals and receiving quite a few blaring horns from passing vehicles. She was so hell bent on tracking down the man, she never heard her name being called. Nor did she see the short brunette trying to stop her until she ran smack dab into her. Misty paused, the force of the impact snapping her from her thoughts. She still stood upright, though she glanced down to the young girl.

"Mahri?" Misty questioned, offering a hand. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Didn't see me?" Mahri questioned, taking the help and getting pulled to her feet. "I've been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes. Where are you storming off too? You look ready to kill someone."

"Because I am!" Misty seethed. "I'm going to kill A-"

And she stopped. The reality of who she was talking to striking her like a bolt of lightning.

Mahri raised a brow at Misty's sudden change in attitude. "Is everything okay?"

What was Misty going to do? She couldn't very well tell Mahri what she was about to say. This was Rudy's sister! The second to last person she wanted to see right now!

"Um, have you seen Rudy?" Misty asked, more out of an automatic response from her panic than anything else.

Mahri's expression shifted to fear, and she asked, "You're not mad at Rudy are you? Did the two of you get into a fight? He said he hadn't heard from you since the festival last night. We've all been so worried. What happened? What did you guys say to each other?"

Misty's mind stumbled. Mahri thought her and Rudy had been fighting? Did that mean Rudy was thinking he'd done something to scare her away? His entire family was probably freaking out right now, and it was all Misty's fault. Guilt dropped into her heart like lead, weighing her down straight to the concrete. Her knees collided with the rough surface, scuffing her jeans.

"Misty?" Mahri cried, dropping with her. "What's wrong?!"

Misty felt Mahri's palms on her shoulders, felt the pink hoodie she'd borrowed from Dawn's closet constricting her chest, felt the sweeping wind from the passing cars. All of it surrounding her, each sound and feeling a reminder of either Ash or Rudy, inching closer and closer to her very sanity.

And none of this would be happening if Ash hadn't played on her emotions and tricked her into kissing him.

Mahri leaned back with a shiver as rage filled aquamarine eyes snapped up. "Where's Ash?"

"Ash?" Mahri repeated, a shake in her tone. "Why?"

"Where is he?"

"Shouldn't we be getting back to Rudy-"

"Mahri!"

The young girl let out an ' _eep'_ before shakily replying. "He has to collect those Orbs today, remember? Melody chose him last night. They're probably down at the docks getting-"

Not needing to hear anymore, Misty rocketed to her feet and took off so fast it knocked Mahri on her rear.

"Hey! Misty!" She called after the redhead, but it was no use. Misty, fueled by her desire to severely hurt Ash Ketchum, was gone before she could even hear the words.

* * *

Ash reached up with a quick motion, rubbing his right ear rather harshly to the point that Pikachu shifted uneasily on his shoulder. Serena cast them a curious look, and giggled when Ash caught her and asked, "What?"

"Someone must be talking about you," she replied.

Ash frowned. "How do you know that?"

"They say when your ears burn, then someone you know is talking about you."

"Oh, well, my ear itched. Not burned."

"Its a figure of speech," Serena told him with a gentle head shake. "Have you never heard that before?"

"Not that I can remember," Ash said, turning his head as a spray of seawater blasted up from the side of the boat.

A loud groan came from the rear, followed by Bonnie's voice, "Are you alright, big Brother?"

"Nenne?"

"I think I'm gunna be sick," Clemont's queasy voice said as he leaned over the back. "Can we drive a little easier?"

"No can do," Melody said loudly from her perch up in the cockpit. "The ocean controls how much we rock."

"Well tell it to calm down, please," Clemont groaned.

"We're almost there," Brock called from the front, turning in his seat to glance at Ash. "Feeling excited yet?"

Brock knew his friend all too well. The minute they set sail, Ash could feel the spark of excitement within him. And it only grew the closer they got to Fire Island. He had the most important part to play in Shamouti's Elemental Festival, OF COURSE he would be excited, no matter what kinds of crazy thoughts and events transpired the night before.

"You bet," Ash said, clenching his fist. "We're ready. Right, Pikachu?"

"Pika Pikachu!" The mouse cried, imitating Ash.

"When we land, be sure you hurry as fast as you can," Melody called down to them. "That storm is moving in quick. We may have time to hit Ice Island, but after that we'll have to head back to Shamouti until it passes."

"You got it," Ash nodded.

"Hey, you in the back," Melody said, craning her neck to see Bonnie. "Get the raft ready, will ya?"

"Okay!" Bonnie exclaimed. "Come on, Dedenne!"

"Nennenene!"

The pair scurried across the stern of the boat, towards an inflatable life raft strapped down by a large tarp. Bonnie knelt down beside one of the ties and started to fumble with it, only to pause when she heard a ' _sshh!'_

She looked up, and then around, blinking curiously. "Did you say something Dedenne?"

"Dennene," the tiny mouse shook his head.

"I could've sworn I heard something," Bonnie frowned. Before she could investigate anymore, the sound of Clemont finally upchucking caught her attention. "Clemont!"

She raced back across the boat, with Dedenne behind her, sliding to a stop by her brother.

He leaned up, bracing himself on the railing. "I'm fine," he said weakly. "Unfortunately, that made me feel a lot better."

"Are you sure?" Bonnie asked a little confused.

"How's the raft coming?" Melody called.

"Right!" Bonnie exclaimed to herself, and sprinted away from Clemont. She heard a loud splash as she reached the raft, and this time Dedenne looked up at her curiously. "Please tell me Clemont didn't fall overboard?"

Dedenne looked back, and then shook his head. "Nennene."

Deciding it just must've been the waves, Bonnie set to unlatching the raft. She worked her way around the straps, taking care not to let the tarp blow away. It wasn't long before the engine of the boat slowed down to a soft purr, and Bonnie looked up.

Fire Island loomed before them, its volcano rising high into the clouds. Waves sloshed roughly against its rocky shores, but Melody had found a flat area for them to land the raft. She throttled the boat just enough to keep it from going too far in, or back out to sea.

"Get moving!" Melody called to Ash. "Don't sight see too long, remember we're on a time limit."

"Right!" Ash replied, rising to his feet. Brock and Serena followed suit. "We'll find the treasure and be back down in a flash."

"Pika!"

"Follow that path," Melody pointed towards the Island. Following her gaze, Ash spotted a stone staircase carved out of the volcano side. "It will lead you straight to the Shrine," she added.

"Everybody onboard," Bonnie exclaimed, and then proceeded to unclasp the last strap and yank the inflation cord.

With a loud whoosh, the yellow raft inhaled the air around her sharply and expanded in a matter of seconds. The sudden extra mass was enough to catch the wind, and the raft started lifting into the air. Bonnie shouted in alarm as her feet left the boat, but they were soon brought safely down as Brock and Clemont each raced to grab a side of the raft.

"Be careful, Bonnie," Clemont scolded her.

"I had it under control," she shot back.

The siblings broke into minuscule bickering while the group lowered the raft down to the ocean and climbed on. Brock went first, using his larger frame and muscles to hold the raft beside Melody's boat. Ash went second, placing himself opposite Brock so he could help hold the raft in place. When Serena positioned herself to climb over the railing, a wave crashed into Melody's boat, causing a sharp jolt. Her fingers slipped, and she toppled over the edge.

"Serena!" Ash shouted in sync with her own scream. He let go of Melody's boat and lunged forward. Her weight crashed into his arms, and he caught her just in time before she could slam into the water. Despite bracing himself for the impact, he hadn't anticipated the raft shifting beneath his feet and with a loud yell, he toppled backwards. Pikachu squeaked as he was tossed into Brock, and Ash fell on his back into the raft. Serena's weight smashed his chest, making him lose some of his breath.

"You guys okay?!" Clemont and Bonnie exclaimed together, peering over the railing with terrified faces.

"They're fine," Brock said up to them, a soft smirk on his face.

Serena blinked a few times before groaning and sitting up. "Ohhhh, I'm so sorry, Ash. Are you alright?"

Not realizing he'd closed his eyes, Ash reopened them to see Serena's cheeks were flushed a bright pink, and she was only a foot away from his face. Feeling his own cheeks heat up, he grunted. "I'm fine. Are you okay?"

"Thanks to you," she said softly.

He swallowed, which felt more like a dry gulp. She was much too close for his comfort, especially now that he was _aware_ of her feelings towards him. Sharply, he pulled his eyes away from hers, turning his head to find Pikachu sitting up by Brock's feet. "You okay, Pikachu?"

Serena made a small noise in her throat, then he felt her hands push off his chest and her weight lift off him.

"Pikachu," the mouse nodded, scampering over to Ash as he too sat up.

"Well," Brock's voice came down. "If everyone is done getting comfortable with each other, we need to get a move on."

For perhaps the first time ever, Ash found himself wishing Croagunk would pop out and Poison Jab the man.

* * *

Getting to shore wasn't as bad as Ash believed it would be, thanks to Clemont and his ' _Auto Boat Propellor Device'._ He stepped forward across the sharp rocks beneath his feet, feeling Serena's concerned gaze on his back. Or her loving gaze, or dreamy gaze, or whatever. He might be aware of how she felt about him, but that never meant he understood it fully. Which bothered Ash to no end.

Hearing her let out a quick sigh, her delicate voice then asked, "Are you sure the raft is secured, Clemont?"

"You bet," he replied. "There isn't a wind strong enough to lift my Mini Electro Anchors."

Ash hoped Clemont was right, because not only was the wind getting colder, it was getting stronger with each gust. Shamouti was in for one good storm. Hopefully it would die out before the end of the day so Ash could finish his ' _Chosen One'_ duties.

He paused as he reached the stone staircase, looking up towards the top of the volcano. The steps rose to the very top, which now that he was standing at its base, the volcano didn't seem so high. Serena's presence stepped up beside him, and she turned to him with a smile. "Ready?"

All he offered her was a grunt, and then Ash started forward. He could feel the waves of confusion and hurt rolling off of her, and internally he began kicking himself mercilessly.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu curiously asked, leaning over to better see Ash's face.

Ash didn't respond, not really hearing the mouse. Step by step he climbed, cursing himself in his head, remaining silent until a pair of heavier footfalls came up beside him.

"What's up with you?" Brock's voice asked quietly. "You've been acting a little strange all day. Not to mention distant from Serena."

Maybe it was because he needed to let it all out, or because he needed to tell someone, or maybe it was just because Brock was asking, but Ash found himself wanting to reveal what he'd done. It was such an overwhelming force suddenly rising in his chest, that he actually emitted a sound close to a sob. This caused an alarmed expression to cover Brock's face, and he leaned forward just enough to see if Ash was crying.

Catching sight of Brock out of his peripheral vision, Ash found his mouth beginning to open. "I….I…"

Wow, admitting what happened was a lot harder than he'd thought it would be.

"I…I did something very bad last night," he finally managed to get out, though in a very quiet tone. If Brock wouldn't have been actively listening, he wouldn't have heard Ash speak at all.

"Bad?" Brock questioned.

"Pika?"

"Brock, I…" Ash gulped, "…Kissed Misty."

Silence greeted his ears, a ringing sound that caused Ash to look Brock's way just to make sure he hadn't been imagining the man's presence. Brock was indeed there, but his expression was blank, a disbelief buried in his eyes. On his shoulder, he could feel Pikachu's nails digging into his skin. He wasn't sure if Brock's reaction was a good or bad thing, and it made his heart thunder loudly in his chest. Pikachu was just as silent, which only further fueled the turmoil churning inside Ash.

Then Brock let out a hollow laugh, and cracked the widest grin Ash had ever seen on the man. "You actually did it? After all these years? Do you know how many bets you just made me lose?"

"Yes," Ash hissed. "I did it! I don't know what came over me! Her smile, and her eyes, they were just….." He paused, narrowing his eyes at Brock. "You made bets on if I'd kiss Misty?"

Brock straightened his posture and scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well, Gary started it."

 _Of course Gary started it_ , Ash fumed in his head. "Who all took the bet?"

"I bet Misty would do it first," Brock revealed with a short laugh. "Delia said you'd wisen up eventually and make the move. Max said-"

" _My Mother_ was in on it?!" Ash exclaimed, appalled at the very idea, then he shook his head roughly. "Anyway, none of that helps me! What am I supposed to do, Brock?"

Brock's slight humorous attitude vanished the moment Ash asked his question. "You're right," he said. "You did put the two of you in a bad spot. Especially Misty."

"I know," Ash stressed, having Brock confirm the seriousness of the situation only started pulling Ash apart at the seams. "So what am I supposed to do?"

"Did you talk with Misty afterward?" Ash's silence was Brock's answer. "Why don't you tell me what happened?"

"Gary interrupted us," Ash explained. "Then she ran away, and-"

"She ran away?" Brock questioned. Thunder boomed across the sky, telling them the storm was inching closer. Both he and Ash glanced upward, seeing the dark storm clouds now forming overhead. "You'll have to explain everything to me when we get back, right now I think we should hurry."

"I think you're right," Ash nodded, frowning at how quickly the storm seemed to be moving. "Come on, guys!" He raised his voice so that it would travel behind him to Serena, Bonnie, and Clemont.

As he broke into a sprint, he could hear the others do the same and Clemont groan something about ' _running up the steps_.'

* * *

Melody moved about her boat, checking the lines and the anchor, every now and then glancing over to the inflatable raft on shore. Making sure it was still securely fastened down by Clemont's artificial anchors. The sea was getting rougher by the second, and she was seriously doubting they could make it to Ice Island before heading back. She cast her eyes upward, examining the storm clouds rolling through each other. Hopefully they wouldn't have to postpone the end of the Elemental Festival. That never went over well.

Thunder cracked across the ocean, rolling with the waves. Melody frowned, however, when a rumbling noise persisted after the thunder ceased. She turned towards Shamouti Island, leaning against her railing as she squinted her eyes for the source. A small speedboat was rocketing her way, crashing into the waves with a fierce determination. Melody now frowned, wondering exactly who would be following them all the way to Fire Island.

The speedboat lurched over one more wave, and then the driver slowed the engine down dramatically. They coasted up next to Melody's boat, and the Shamouti Native wrinkled her brow. "Misty? What are you doing out here?"

Her voice carried over to the speedboat as it floated up next to her, and Misty pulled a lever that dropped the anchor with a dull thud. She stepped away from the steering wheel and hurried to the front of her boat, glaring up at Fire Island with a blaze in her eyes.

"Misty?" Melody called again, this time getting the red head to look her direction. "What's going on?"

"Has Ash already gone up?" was Misty's reply, further confusing Melody.

"Yeah. Him and the others should almost be to the top by now. Why? What's going on?!"

Misty didn't reply, mumbling something to herself and turning her attention back to the volcano. Then she pulled out a PokeBall and enlarged it.

"Misty-" Melody started an attempt to get her attention again, but was cut off as the PokeBall opened and a ferocious roar vibrated the wood beneath her feet. A behemoth of a Gyarados materialized in front of Misty's boat, maw gaping wide as it growled. It lowered its giant head down to the boat, and Misty quickly climbed on.

"Get me up there as fast as you can, Gyarados," she shouted over the next crack of thunder.

* * *

Ash reached the last step, halting between two cylindrical stones acting as an archway, only to find the steps immediately declined back down a few more feet. They leveled off onto a large stone platform that hovered over a pit. The rocky sides streamed down into blackness, indicating to Ash it was a long way down to the center of the volcano. The others caught up with him as he laid his eyes upon a Shrine sitting at the far end of the platform. It appeared to be carved like a giant bird, with its wings spread out as if it were flying.

"Ugh, finally," Clemont breathed out heavily. "I'm not looking forward to going back down."

Ash didn't say anything, instead sprinting down the rest of the steps at the urging of more thunder overhead. Pikachu clung tightly to his shoulder as he ran, and Ash covered the length of the platform quickly. The nearer he got, he could see more details carved into the bird statue. Flames appeared coat the creature, expanding to the tip of its wings and a long beak jutted out towards him. The bird was elegant in design, thin and sleek, with a hidden power behind its muscular chest. This must be one of the Legendary Birds, Moltres.

Ash blinked. There, in a small compartment carved just beneath its chest, sat a dull red orb. It was held in place by the tiny size of the hole, as the top and bottom of the orb were pressed against the stone.

"That must be it," Serena said behind him.

"Better grab it so we can get back," Brock added quickly.

"Right," Ash nodded once, feeling that same sense of foreboding envelope him. In fact, the longer he stared at the orb, and the closer his hand inched, it was as if the very air around him started to whisper that same foreboding. He swallowed as his fingers wrapped around the orb, and he pulled.

Nothing happened.

The orb was wedged into the compartment tight enough it didn't even budge! Blinking in his confusion once again, Ash put more effort into pulling on the orb. Still it didn't come loose, so he grunted and placed his foot against the statue. He gave the next pull everything he had, using the muscles in his leg to push himself back.

 _Slip!_

The orb came loose and he stumbled back with a loud yelp. Pikachu cried out from his shoulder, but thankfully a pair of rough hands caught him beneath his arms.

"Thanks, Brock," he said as he put his foot down and righted himself.

"Don't mention it," Brock replied. "Alright, now lets get back. Rain should be coming down any minute."

Ash caught Serena's stare, and she appeared to be beaming at him with pride. The thought didn't make him feel as strange as he would've expected. Maybe it was because he told Brock about what he'd done. Or maybe it was because he was the _Chosen One_ and he'd just collected his FIRST Treasure! He was awesome like that after all.

He returned her smile and said, "Let's get going."

She gave him a short nod, and the group took barely more than three steps before a loud ringing laughter stopped them in their tracks.

"Mwahahahahha! Prepare for trouble!"

"Make it double."

Ash lifted his eyes to the top of the stairs. Spotting a violet haired man and a magenta haired woman standing back to back with their arms folded. Each of them were wearing white uniforms with a bright red R embroidered on their chest.

"To fight our enemies like the raging sea," Jesse continued.

"Get ready, were soaking wet and mean," James added.

True to his word, they were soaked to the bone. Water dropped from their clothes and bangs, and Jesse's socks were sliding down into her boots. Not to mention both of them were shivering uncontrollably.

"Not these three," Brock exclaimed, hovering a hand over his PokeBelt.

"Can't you ever just leave us alone!" Serena shouted.

"Oi!" Came a scratchy voice just behind Jesse and James. Meowth shoved his way between their legs, puffing out his chest as he glared down at the group. Just like Jesse and James, the cat was soaked to the skin. "Nevah interrupt da motto, Twoips! Not if ya know what's good for ya!"

Ash let out a loud groan, "Can we do this later? We're kinda in a hurry here, and the weather's looking bad."

"It has been bad," Jesse agreed, casting a look to the sky.

"So bad it seems to have affected our luck," James sighed dejectedly.

"Is that why you're soaking wet?" Clemont asked.

"They were on the boat!" Bonnie suddenly exclaimed, realization dawning on her face. "You were hiding under the raft weren't you?" She asked. "Then you climbed overboard when I was distracted with Clemont."

"Nenenne!" Dedenne agreed from Bonnie's bag.

"You try hanging onto the side of a speeding boat," James accused overdramatically. "It's not easy!"

"If we'd of gone wit my idea and followed dem in da submarine, we wouldn't be soakin wet in da first place!" Meowth snapped at James.

"Don't you get sassy with me-"

"Enough!" Jesse barked. "No matter how we got here, our mission is the same."

"Capture that Pikachu," James and Meowth finished for her.

"Pika," the mouse's cheeks cracked with sparks as he glared up at them.

"Can't you see we all need to get back to port?" Brock asked in an attempt to reason with them. "If we stay out here any longer we'll get caught in the storm."

"That won't bother us," Jesse said with a gleeful malice, pulling up one of her PokeBalls. "As they say, any port will do during a Gyarados attack."

She raised her Ball high, but hesitated when the very stone beneath their feet started to rumble. It trembled its way down to Ash and the group, growing stronger with each passing moment. A great shadow suddenly loomed over them as a mighty Gyarados itself reared its head high behind Team Rocket. The Trio's petrified screams were lost in the terrible roar of the Pokémon, and they broke into a run down the steps as it lunged forward.

Ash, and the others for that matter, shouted in alarm as Team Rocket was knocked aside and the Gyarados came straight for them. They scattered in different directions with arms flailing as Gyarados slithered across the stone with another loud roar. Ash threw himself behind a boulder near the volcano wall, and Pikachu peered over the top from his perch on Ash's shoulder. Gyarados had coiled up in their previous spot, eyes leering at its surroundings. Then, a voice rang out. A voice that sent a chill down the very bones within Ash.

"ASH KETCHUM!"

A long forgotten fear ignited within his heart as Misty's furious voice echoed around the crater.

"Come out right now! Don't make me have Gyarados HyperBeam every boulder until I find you!"

The thought of his hiding place suddenly erupting into a vicious orange explosion filled with rocks and debris spurred him into moving. He stood up abruptly, arms raised high as if he were surrendering. "Here!" He called, locking eyes with Gyarados and getting another chill from its angry face. "I'm over here."

His gaze tracked upward, to Misty standing atop Gyarados' head. She was using her right hand to stable herself against the top spike, and her orange hair was blowing fiercely in the growing wind. He may as well have become a ghost the moment he locked eyes with her. Gyarados' angry glare couldn't compare to the fire roaring inside Misty's. Once beautiful, sparkling aquamarine eyes under the moonlight were now shooting daggers into Ash's very soul. It was as if he were being pushed through a meat grinder, wanting to stop the twisting pain her glare was causing him but being unable to fight against the machine.

"You have some nerve!" She roared, jumping down from Gyarados and landing in a crouched position.

"Huh?" was all Ash was able to stay. Despite the fear she was causing him, he was utterly and definitely confused. Which caused for a bad, paralyzing condition that kept him rooted to the spot. Arms still high in the air.

As Misty stood upright and started her march his direction, Pikachu let out a tiny whimper and jumped down from Ash's shoulder. The sudden weight loss made Ash feel even more vulnerable. Like he'd lost his only protection against Misty's wrath. She waltzed directly in front of him, stopping only when she was within two feet. At this close range, he could feel the rage radiating from her. Feel the heat of the fire behind her passion. Too bad that passion was rage instead of happiness…

"What do you have to say for yourself?!" She demanded, jabbing a finger roughly into his chest.

He winced from the sharp pain and finally lowered his arms. There wasn't the faintest thought or clue in his mind as to what Misty was worked up about, except for one. And honestly, he couldn't really believe that she would choose _now_ to talk about their kiss.

"Um," he started quietly, trying to keep the others from hearing. There wasn't much he knew in the romance department, but he had enough sense to feel like now might not be the best time. "Is this really the place to talk about this?"

"I think this is the perfect place," Misty barked. "And I think Serena might agree." Ash blinked a few times, and was about to ask her what she meant, when Misty shouted. " _Serena_!"

A small ' _Eep'_ came from behind Ash, and he turned his head just enough to see his group standing together. Pikachu hadn't actually ran very far, opting to stand a few feet back from Ash and Misty. Brock looked deeply concerned, with a small frown wrinkling his brow. Clemont and Bonnie looked slightly confused, yet more terrified than anything, and Serena was standing beside them, with her eyes darting quickly between them, Brock, Ash, and Misty.

Team Rocket was draped over a large rock, groaning and rubbing their backsides.

"Come here," Misty demanded, staring straight at Serena as she pointed to the ground beside Ash.

The honey blonde cast one last look at Clemont and Brock, a silent plea for help, before stepping forward. Silence filled the crater as Serena slowly made her way to Ash's side. He was vaguely aware of the orb still clutched in his hand, and how it was steadily growing warmer.

Serena stopped beside him, gulping loudly before half whispering, "Yes?"

Misty didn't speak to her, instead turning her angry eyes back on Ash and growling. "So, are you going to tell her?"

His heart should've exploded. Right then and there. Boom. Done. Because then he wouldn't have to worry about any of this anymore, and he sure as _Hell_ wouldn't have to worry about _why_ Misty _wanted_ him to tell _Serena_ about _their_ _kiss_. It made no sense. Wouldn't she want to hide what they did? Lock it away and bury it so she could move on with her life and marry Rudy.

A shadow flickered across Ash's face. Anger rising quickly in his heart….no….fury? Resentment? Towards…Rudy? Well, it was all his fault their kiss couldn't mean anything…

"Well?!" Misty snapped, pulling Ash from his sudden thoughts. "Are you going to tell your girlfriend what we did?! Or do I have to?!"

Naturally, as Ash always did when arguing with Misty, he was about to turn the anger in his heart on her. Ask _her_ if she planned to tell Rudy, or if Ash needed to, but…

"Girlfriend?" He repeated, all anger vanishing, replaced with more confusion.

Serena on the other hand, turned every shade of red imaginable. There was a tint of anger, a shade of embarrassment, and a shadow of jealousy. All thrown together like a toddler painting a wall.

"I think you need to stop yelling at Ash," she came to his aid, balling her fist. Despite the shakiness in her voice, she was able to keep a stable vocal tone. "What could he have done to deserve this treatment from you?"

Misty's glare didn't falter as she slowly turned her eyes on Serena. Gyarados mimicked her actions behind her, making Serena take a half step back.

"You're up here to listen, not to speak," Misty hissed.

"Don't talk to Serena like that," Ash snapped, stepping between the two girls. He wasn't sure why, but knowing Serena's innocence in the entire matter sent an angry jolt to his heart from the way Misty spoke to her. "She's done nothing wrong."

"Shes guilty of dating you," Misty shot back. "That's a crime in itself."

This time Ash's cheeks turned red like Serena's.

"Leave her out of this," Ash said.

The longer this confrontation drew on, the more sense it was starting to make. Somehow, someway, Misty got it in her head that he was dating Serena…and he'd betrayed her last night with Misty. All common sense in his brain was screaming at him to simply say ' _we're not dating! I'm single!'_ , but the knowledge that she was getting mad at him, for an action she herself committed, was blocking all logical thought.

"Dating Ash would not be a crime!" Serena snapped, leaning around Ash to return Misty's glare. Her own statement, however, caused her cheeks to flush even more and her glare to lose a bit of its power.

"Even if he betrayed your trust?" Misty retorted, folding her arms.

"Betrayed my…" Serena's glare faded, and her eyes turned to Ash uncertainly.

Behind the argument, Brock took a few steps forward cautiously as if he should help while Bonnie tugged on Clemont's sleeve.

"Why are they fighting?" She asked worriedly.

"I don't know, Bonnie," he replied truthfully. "Misty must be really upset by something."

"This is why you don't get involved with the opposite sex," came Jesse's voice behind them. "It only leads to trouble."

"Yes, and that's the kind of trouble, I stay out of," James added.

"You's two's don't need the opposite sex cuz you got each other," Meowth said casually, then erupted into a hysterical laughter as Jessie and James began shouting at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"That's not funny!"

As Serena began wrinkling her brow at Ash, he folded his arms and mockingly said, "Funny that you talk about trust, Misty. Considering that you're getting married _tomorrow."_

Misty's red face burned redder, and she unfolded her arms, advancing on Ash. He didn't back down, having been on the receiving end of her tantrums many times in the past. He wasn't scared of her.

She opened her mouth, and for the hundredth time that day, Ash blinked in confusion. A loud caw escaped her, ringing deafeningly in his eardrums. When her own face morphed into a mimic of his bewilderment, Ash realized the caw didn't actually come from Misty.

A large shadow zoomed past them, a gust of wind following whatever flew by. Ash slapped a palm to his hat to keep it atop his head, and shot his eyes upward.

From the clouds, a massive yellow bird descended upon them. It had sharp feathers, with a few black ones lining throughout the yellow. It's eyes were sharp, and it's beak thin and long. It let out another deafening caw, and swooped by dangerously close. Gyarados roared in agitation, following the bird with its massive head. Pikachu squeaked and scampered back up to Ash's shoulder as the boy finally got a good look at the Pokémon.

"Pikachu…" he awed. "It's Zapdos."

The Legendary Bird cawed once more, flying so low the wind almost knocked Ash and the others over. He stumbled a few steps to the side, sliding his feet apart to maintain his balance. When he looked up, Zapdos had landed on the top of Moltres' Shrine, wings extended to their full length.

It cawed again and again, flapping its wings twice for effect. Zapdos gave on final caw, and then electricity arced from its elongated wings. The bolts snaked their way into the ground, streaking through the stone all around the platform and up the sides of the crater. The static buildup began to cause Ash's jacket to shudder, and his hair stand on end. If the situation would've been any other time, the sight of Brock's spiky hair turning into a sharp afro might have been hysterical.

Serena flattened her palms against the sides of her head in an attempt to flatten her curls, while Misty simply let her hair float from the static. Her eyes were locked onto Zapdos with all seriousness, a look Ash only ever saw when she was about to battle a strong opponent.

Pikachu squeaked and hopped down to the stone, rushing forward a few feet.

"Pikachu!" Ash called, but received no response.

The mouse instead shot a sharp bolt of lightning straight at Zapdos.

"No!" Ash shouted, but the bolt slammed into Zapdos and didn't have any effect. The bird continued its consistent cawing.

Pikachu tried again, and then again, causing Ash to take a step back. Before he could fathom his own concern, Jesse voiced it for him. "Pikachu's attack's pack a punch, but Zapdos isn't even feeling the effort."

"Those aren't attack's, Jesse," Meowth said. "Pikachu is trying to talk to Zapdos. He's sayin, ' _what are you doing over here on Fire Island, Zapdos? Where's Moltres?_ "

The fact that Pikachu wasn't trying to attack Zapdos gave Ash a little relief, but still, there was a Legendary Pokemon before him. "Pikachu?"

Bonnie had scooted closer to Clemont's side when Zapdos had rushed over them, but as her bag jerked suddenly, she looked down to see Dedenne rushing forward to Pikachu's side.

"Dedenne!" She called, but the tiny mouse joined Pikachu, and cracked sparks from his cheeks.

"PiiiikaaaCHU!" The mouse balled his fists and gave everything he had into his next lightning bolt.

Dedenne launched his own electricity, joining it with Pikachu's, and the combined bolts slammed into the Legendary's chest. This time, Zapdos ceased its noise and turned towards the two mouse Pokemon. Faster than Ash could blink, Zapdos launched a streak of lightning straight for Pikachu and Dedenne, and it crashed into them. Ash cried out in alarm, starting forward to save his best friend until he saw Pikachu still standing perfectly fine as the lightning swirled and circled around his and Dedenne's tiny bodies.

"Translation?" Jesse asked.

" _Once, Fire ruled over this Island,"_ Meowth told them. " _But now that Moltres is gone, Lightning shall rule over Fire, and this Island will belong to my domain."_ The cat swallowed. "Whad'ya think happened to Moltres?"

"Good question," James said with a gulp.

"I think we need to go," Brock said, loud enough so that the others could hear him, but soft enough not to startle Zapdos.

"Couldn't agree more," the Rocket Trio said simultaneously, and started sneaking their way over to the stairs.

Serena took a few steps back, but stopped when she noticed Ash and Misty had yet to move. "Ash?" She asked worriedly.

"Something's not right," Misty said.

"This feels wrong," Ash agreed with a nod.

As if on cue, a loud boom sounded from the clouds. Ash almost mistook it for thunder, until six rectangular rings shot down from the sky. They appeared so fast, two of them were surrounding him, Misty, Pikachu, Dedenne, and Serena before he could react. Blue electricity sparked to life between them, somehow twisting the space he was standing in and lifting him from the ground. Shouts from the others informed him they too were surrounded.

Zapdos managed to dodge the strange rings, and took off into the sky. The Bird cawed in defiance and blasted them with its powerful attacks, but somehow the rings stayed floating. They continued their pursuit as Zapdos twisted and dodged, managing to stay a few steps ahead of them.

"Gyarados!" Misty shouted, slamming her fist into the lightning. A strange pulse rippled out from her touch.

Ash looked down and gasped aloud, not having noticed they were being lifted up and away from the Island. Gyarados remained far below, roaring up at them as they drifted further away.

Zapdos cried out in agony as the rings managed to surround it and ignite their blue lightning. They drew together incredibly tight, constricting the Pokémon from extending its wings.

"Hey!" Ash shouted, mimicking Misty and slapping the barrier. "Leave it alone!"

"Um, Ash?" Serena whispered. He craned his neck back to see her looking up, so he followed her gaze.

They were headed for a large floating building of some kind descending from the clouds. It was circular in shape, with dozens of large propellers keeping it in the sky. A domed bottom began to open up, revealing a long tube that traveled up into the center of the structure. With a loud creak, the dome began to close behind them as the rings carried their captures into the building, entrapping them in pitch darkness.

Ash found himself attempting to think of a solution to their predicament, a way to escape, but everything just happened so fast. He was still a little in shock from his emotions revolving around Misty, seeing the Legendary Zapdos, and now floating into a flying building. No one could blame him for their strange capture, right?

"Ash?" it was Serena, which he barely over Zapdos angry caws. "What's that red light?"

Suddenly he was aware of a soft red glow emitting close by him. He looked around quickly for the source, expecting to see a clue to their situation, but all he could see were dark walls around him.

"It's coming from your hand," Misty pointed out.

He looked down, wrinkling his brow at the sight of the dim red light flickering between his fingers. Realizing he was still clutching the Fire Orb, Ash slowly raised it closer to his face, frowning even more when he saw that a tiny light had ignited deep within the center of the sphere.

"Pikaaa?"

"Denne?"

"Why's it doing that?" Serena asked.

"I don't know," Ash replied, finding himself wishing Melody was here to maybe explain what was going on.

A loud crack reverberated down the dark shaft as light suddenly blinded them from above. Ash squinted up, raising his hand to shield his eyes from the light. Large tiles were sliding apart, making room for the rings to carry them up and out of the darkness.

* * *

Melody drummed her fingers along the railing, impatiently tapping her foot as she cast her gaze towards the volcano for the hundredth time. The cold wind bristled her hair against her neck, but she ignored it, exhaling a sharp sigh.

"No other Chosen One took this long," she remarked to herself. "What on Earth could he be doing? No way could Misty be _distracting_ him," she smirked to herself at the suggestiveness in her own tone. "The others would've came running back by now in fear of that show."

She chuckled to herself, amused at her own joke on Misty, but it quickly turned into a sigh. Teasing the red head wasn't as fun if she wasn't there to get angry. Rudy sure picked a fiery woman, Melody had to give him that.

She closed her eyes and inhaled the smell of salt water and foam, feeling the boat rocking beneath her feet. When she reopened her eyes, she had to blink a couple times. Lightning was streaming down the volcano, twisting around the rocks and barreling towards the shoreline. The bolts stopped just short of hitting the water, bending and morphing until they formed a large chain that seemed to circle the entire island.

"What the…" her thoughts were cut off as a loud boom echoed from up high.

She jerked her gaze upward, narrowing her eyes to better see the top of the volcano. At first she couldn't see anything, but the longer she stared, soon she spotted three blue flickering lights flying upwards towards the clouds. They were soaring towards a large object emerging from the shadows…a building?! Narrowing her eyes more, she was able to faintly make out the shapes of people inside two of the blue lights.

Melody jumped away from the railing, sprinting up the short ladder to her cockpit and fumbling for the ignition key. With a roar, the boat rumbled to life.

* * *

 **Oh...My...Goodness... who expected that kind of confrontation between Ash, Misty, and Serena? Did it go the way you thought? Too bad Zapdos emerged and cut it short, eh? Now we have to wait for a resolution on the matter. Darn lol**

 **I'm having so much fun writing this story, you guys. I love parallels to the actual movie I get to make, but with new twists and events!**

 **A quick note on Gyarados: I couldn't find any solid evidence that he _couldn't_ slither around on land, so I just decided that Gyarados can. But obviously not forever, he belongs in water of course. I mean, snakes can go on land and in water, so why not a giant, angry looking snakelike Pokemon? lol**

 **I really enjoyed this chapter, and hope you guys did too! The reviews so far have been phenomenal you guys, I always look forward to seeing how you guys felt about the chapter. I get all giddy inside after I release a new update haha.**

 **As always, let me know what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

Gary gently massaged his arms where Piplup's beak incessantly pecked away at him. He cast a small glare towards the Pokemon in question, nestled in Dawn's arms wearing that smug expression. The pair were currently walking down the beach, headed back into to town on an errand assigned to them by Delia. She'd realized they were missing an ingredient to make one of Ash's favorite dishes, and tasked Gary and Dawn with collecting it. Along with a few other items she figured they might need.

Dawn looked over from the corner of her eye and saw Gary pull his gaze away from Piplup and continue rubbing his arms. "You know you didn't have to go so hard, Piplup," she scolded.

"Lup Piplup lup," the penguin defended himself, waving his flippers.

Gary looked over as Dawn continued, "Yes, I did tell you to Drill Peck him, but it wasn't supposed to be a full on attack."

"Piplup," he sighed, rubbing the back of his blue head and closing his eyes.

"It's alright, Piplup," Gary said, making Dawn look up. "You did what your Trainer asked, you're a good Pokemon."

Piplup squeaked happily, turning back into his proud self with his chest puffed out.

"It's your Trainer that needs a scolding."

"What?" Dawn exclaimed. "You called me that stupid nickname, what was I supposed to do?"

"Not order your Pokemon to attack me?" Gary offered. "Sheesh, Sparkles. Id've thought that was obvious."

Dawn's cheeks turned a little red and she stopped in her tracks, letting Gary get a few paces ahead. "Do you always have to be such a jerk?"

"Do you always have to be so nettlesome?" Gary shot back, halting and spinning on the spot.

"I don't even know what that means," she replied.

"Well, that's not surprising."

"What's gotten into you?" Dawn asked quickly, her heart picking up pace. He'd dismissed her earlier when she asked if he was okay, but she knew he'd seen Ash and Misty's moment. And each time he looked at her, Dawn could see the hurt deep in his eyes.

"Gee, I don't know," Gary started, putting a finger to his chin. "Maybe you telling Piplup to attack me has something-"

"No, even before that," she cut him off, stomping her foot into the sand. "You've been acting weird since you vanished last night."

He paused, bringing his eyes to meet hers. There it was, the hurt buried far within his dark eyes. He frowned.

"I'm the one acting weird?" He asked, before taking a few steps back towards her. "You're the one acting weird. What's with all the questions today? Why would you just assume something's wrong?"

"Because I-" she stopped, fear shooting into her veins as she almost let slip she knew of the kiss.

"You what?" He pressed, stepping even closer with an intimidating glare.

Dawn felt her heart constricting, working harder with each beat to push blood to her brain. She couldn't tell him directly that she knew. Misty would kill her for telling someone before the red head got the chance to. But Dawn didn't like seeing the hurt in Gary each time he looked at her. She swallowed hard, ignoring Piplup's complaint as she tightened her arms. Her throat felt dry as she attempted to speak, and all she was able to emit was a small grumble.

Gary leaned forward, putting a finger to his ear. "You'll have to speak up. Unlike some Pokémon, I don't have super hearing."

The worry must've been affecting Dawn more than she thought as white spots started dancing across her vision. Rapid blinking did nothing to remove them, but spots were the least of her concerns. Ignoring them, she shivered as a cold gust of wind blew past, and then she gulped.

Screw it. She was going for broke. Misty could be mad all she wanted, but Dawn had to make sure Gary would be alright.

"I know you saw Ash and Misty last night," she blurted abruptly, watching Gary's eyes widen in surprise. "I know you saw what they did, and I'm worried about you, alright?"

"How did you…" Gary blinked a few times, and then shook his head. "Never mind, it doesn't matter how you know."

"So," Dawn shuffled her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Me?" Gary questioned. "You're the one I should be asking if your okay?"

Dawn blinked and frowned. "Why me? I'm concerned about you and Misty."

"Red? What on Earth are you worried about Red and I for? Aren't you upset about Ash?"

"Ash? Why would I be upset about Ash?"

"Don't you like Ash?"

Dawn almost stuttered at the question. "No! I don't like Ash. Don't you like Misty?"

Now it was Gary's turn to falter. He blinked and opened his mouth a few times like a Magikarp, and then said, "I don't like Red that way."

Silence fell between the two as another cold wind bristled their hair. The white spots in Dawn's vision fluttered with it, dancing across her gaze as Gary's words repeated themselves in her ears. They didn't make any sense. His behavior, his social cues, his comments, everything so far led to him liking Misty that way. She could feel the frustration growing in her mind, the lack of a definite answer to her observations hacking away at her sanity. Finally, she stomped her foot again and said, "But yesterday at lunch you said you liked someone who liked someone else."

"I wasn't talking about Red, I was talking about you!" The words flew from his mouth quick, sharp, yet emotional and gentle. In one ear and out the other before Dawn could fully recognize what he'd said, but as they sunk in, her heart beat quickened with each passing moment. Her mind started connecting the dots, placing the real reason for Gary's behavior at the front and center. He thought she liked Ash, so he never revealed to her how he felt, and something was telling her she should've known all along.

Back when her and him started becoming friends, Gary must've seen the attraction Dawn held for Ash. He must've picked up on her feelings, never noticing that over time her feelings shifted towards only friendship with Ash. Which got her thinking….what if Gary _had_ told her how he felt sooner?

A deep crimson blush grew on her cheeks as Gary looked at her with confusion and agitation, slowly morphing into panic and horror. Piplup's beak had fallen open, a look of pure shock on the penguin's face.

Without really knowing what her brain was doing, Dawn whispered, "What did you just say?"

Her eyes were locked in place, staring up at Gary before her. He started shifting from foot to foot, clearly grinding his brain in an attempt to reply to her question. It was clear his previous remark fried his brain. Which was kind of a funny sight to see on the usual snarky researcher. Dawn couldn't help it, looking up at the pinkish tint forming on his flustered face, she giggled. One of her hands left holding Piplup and covered her mouth with a soft slap.

Neither said a word as they stood there on the sand staring at each other. Gary had yet to answer her question, and honestly she didn't expect him to, knowing full well she heard him loud and clear. Her heart felt like it was going to explode with each thump against her chest. Harder and harder with each quickening beat. Making her dizzy from the amount of blood surging through her body.

Did…did she like him back? In all honesty she'd never thought about it before, the idea of her and Gary. She'd been to preoccupied with either her Contests, Buneary's modeling career, or some other adventure that held her attention. But thinking back on it, he was there for the majority of her time in Sinnoh after Ash left, and she quite liked having his presence around.

Not to mention she'd just giggled like a schoolgirl at his cute, embarrassed face.

…cute now, huh?….she thought he was cute….

Gary swallowed hard and furrowed his brow before opening his mouth. "Listen, I-" he suddenly paused at the same time as Dawn felt a small tickle on the end of her nose. She wrinkled her nose at the sensation and looked up at Gary's frown.

"Is that snow?" He questioned, pulling his eyes away from her and looking around.

A deflated sensation hit her as his dark gaze turned away, leaving her feeling as if she were floating down to the sand, but she too looked around curiously. The white spots in her vision suddenly made a lot more sense. It _was_ snow! Fluttering in the cold breeze around them.

"What?" She questioned. "Cold wind I can understand, but snow? I didn't think it could snow on Shamouti?"

"It can't," Gary confirmed for her. "We're way to close to the equator."

"Then how is it…" she trailed off as she turned towards the ocean, letting her eyes travel South. It was quick, a flicker, or glimmer of something shiny trailing behind a large birdlike figure. "Did you see that?"

"Lup! Piplup!" The penguin nodded.

Gary turned towards them, and then followed her gaze. "See what?"

"I saw something over there!" Dawn exclaimed, and then broke into a sprint.

"Hey!" Gary's voice called after her, and she heard his footsteps crunching on the sand.

They ran South, slipping and stumbling along the sand as they went, backtracking on their progress away from the Elemental Inn into Town. Dawn flew past the building, going as fast as she could. She didn't know why, but a voice inside was telling her something bad was happening. A nervous itch that started with the cold the previous night turning into paranoia the further South they ran. She didn't stop to notice there were no Pokémon, she didn't stop to see the slush of ice forming where the ocean met the beach, nor did she slow when they rounded the Southern bend of the Island and spotted the Shrine high on its perch. Taking two steps as a time, Dawn rocketed up the stone staircase, jostling Piplup with each motion. Her lungs burned from the sharp intakes of freezing air as she reached the top, but she pressed on and raced around the Shrine, coming to a stop by the drop off at the end of the stone platform. Gary skid to a stop beside her, breathing hard but seeing the same sight as Dawn. Both their jaws fell open.

A massive, icy blue bird was soaring through the sky, its long ribbon-like tail sparkling as it fluttered behind. It flew over Lightning Island, blasting a blueish white stream of energy from its short beak. The attack smashed into the Island, covering a large portion of its beach in crystal clear ice.

Gary shook his head, rubbing his eyes roughly before glancing back out over the ocean towards the bird. "That's….That's Articuno!"

* * *

The man smiled to himself as he sat at a holographic table. It was arranged like a blue checkerboard over a map of the Shamouti Islands. Only two pieces were on display, one a bright vibrant yellow in the shape of Zapdos, while the other was an icy blue shaped like Articuno. The Zapdos piece lit up briefly before morphing into a ball and dissipating through the hologram.

"One step closer to my prize," he said to himself as a silver piece materialized beside Articuno. Like the other pieces, it was bird shaped, but with a long, slender neck and sharp eyes. "It's like a simple game of chess."

He stood up from his seat, barely taking a few steps towards the large windows overlooking Fire Island before a females voice rang out.

" _Code: Blue Three,"_ Vi's robotic tone told him. " _When acquiring Zapdos we acquired something…more."_

The man paused, his brow wrinkling in confusion. He turned back to the table and examined the pieces for a second before questioning, "More?"

* * *

"Hey!" Ash screamed, smashing his fist against the barrier of energy. "Let us out of here!"

There was no reply, but that didn't stop him from trying again. He smacked, punched, and kicked the barrier, but it was to no avail. The energy simply rippled with each hit against it. Pikachu And Dedenne attempted to help him, but their tiny bodies were having the same affect as Ash. None.

Serena turned her blue eyes away from them and examined the room they were contained it. Ten feet to her left was Clemont, Bonnie, Brock, and Team Rocket. Bonnie and Team Rocket were imitating Ash, shouting with each punch against their own barrier. Brock stood behind them, doing as Serena and examining their surroundings while Clemont was closely studying the barrier entrapping them.

The room was massive in scope, resembling an ancient church in Serena's opinion. Many relics and artifacts decorated the walls, or were on display in glass cases. Items like swords, shields, documents, golden statues, and various other things she couldn't recognize. The high domed roof was painted with renaissance style art. She recognized Angels and Gladiators, but she wasn't adept in that style of paintings to understand the concept.

Misty shuffled beside her, accidentally brushing against the honey blonde. This pulled Serena's gaze back to the occupants of her own energy cage. Misty was glaring all around, a fiery stare that sent a chill down Serena's spine. The feeling worsened when they locked eyes for a moment, but Misty jerked her head away and looked over to the other occupants of the room that weren't human.

Two other barrier cages sat on pedestals before them, with a place for a third that was empty. In the first one was a calm bird with cream colored feathers, a sharp beak, and flames roaring across its back and wings. Moltres has its head bowed, as if it had resigned to its fate. Zapdos on the other hand was fighting tooth and nail against its cage and cawing continuously. It flapped it's massive wings and pecked at the cage, but like Ash, Pikachu, and Dedenne, there was no effect.

"Hey," Clemont suddenly called out. "Isn't this the same tablet we saw yesterday at that Shrine?"

Ash ceased his shouting to peer over at his friend as Serena scooted closer to his side to see. It took some straining, but the pair was able to barely make out an object sitting on a marble pedestal between the two cages. Sitting behind a protective display was indeed the same carved stone they'd seen the previous day.

"How did it get in here?" Ash asked.

"I think it's a replica," Clemont stated, adjusting his glasses so he could see better.

"Do you think it has something to do with why we were taken?" Bonnie asked.

"Silly girl," Jesse spat harshly. "What would a stupid rock have to do with us getting kidnapped?"

Clemont frowned, not just at the tone she'd used against his sister, but at a curious thought they put into his head. He looked up at Brock. "What was the Elemental Festival about again?"

Brock replied without missing a beat. "It's an attraction for tourists nowadays, but it has roots deep within Shamouti culture. They used to worship the Birds living on the Islands, and believed they would be at the center of the destruction of the world."

Clemont furrowed his brow, placing a finger to his chin. "Ash!" The man in question jumped at being addressed so suddenly. "What did Melody say to you last night?"

Ash blinked a few times before he replied. "Um, that I was the Chosen One, and had to collect the Spheres to save the world."

Clemont hummed to himself, turning his eyes back onto the stone tablet. "Melody said climb to the Shrine…and right what is wrong…."

As he thought to himself, none of the others said a word. A tingle was beginning to run through each of them, a deep rooted feeling embedded in their system after spending so much time around Ash.

But James stepped forward, and said, "Surely there's no truth in it? How could crazy old Natives predict the future anyway?"

"Maybe dey's just smarter dan you, Jimmy," Meowth quipped.

Clemont blocked out Team Rocket as they broke into an argument amongst themselves. His mind worked hard, stringing together all the information he had, and the circumstances in which they found themselves in. Not to mention the sudden shift in the weather pattern. Which should've been impossible.

He flipped off his backpack suddenly and rummaged through it. "I think Bonnie is onto something," he said, and then gave an excited shout as he produced a small rectangular device from his bag. "If the person who captured us believes in Shamouti's stories, then this tablet might give us some clues why they decided to capture us."

Clemont re-shouldered his bag and turned the device on. Bonnie took a step back, bumping into the energetic barrier. "Should you be using an invention in here?" She questioned worriedly.

Team Rocket, having been witness to a few of Clemont's inventions, mimicked her actions.

"Not to fear, little Sister," Clemont proudly declared. "The future is now thanks to science! Introducing the Ultimate Language Translator Mark Two!"

He began fiddling with a some dials on the side, while Ash and Pikachu awed from their distance away. Misty's angry stare faltered for a moment as she looked between Ash and Clemont curiously. Serena couldn't help but stifle a small giggle at the sheer confusion on the red head's face. She quickly squashed it however, when she remembered Misty was likely still furious with her and Ash.

"I spent most of our time before the festival tinkering with it," Clemont explained to Bonnie, oblivious to Serena's inner thoughts. "I uncrossed some wires and there won't be an explosion today!"

With that said, he flipped the on switch. Bonnie flinched out of habit, covering her face as she scrunched her nose. Team Rocket cried out in alarm, and started smacking against the cage with a newfound determination. Poor Brock could only stand and watch as he accepted his fate.

The device didn't explode, and Clemont maneuvered so he could point the small sensor at the stone. It took some shifting, but he managed to find the right angle and the device dinged loudly. The small screen lit up, and Clemont cleared his throat before he read. "Disturb not the harmony of Fire, Ice, or Lightning, lest these Titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash. Though the water's Great Guardian shall arise to quell the fighting, alone it's song will fail, thus the Earth shall turn to ash.""

Ash's awed expression began to fade as Clemont continued reading. Beside him, Ash heard Serena gulp.

"O' Chosen One, into thine hands bring together all three. Their treasures combined tame the Beast of the Sea."

A silence followed as Clemont finished. Even Team Rocket ceased their incessant screeching to escape. Ash himself felt a tickle slowly travel up his spine as that same sense of foreboding he kept feeling snaked it's way back into his chest. Like some deeper meaning behind those words were calling out to him, trying to make him understand.

Suddenly the room was filled with a man's voice, catching all of their attentions. Ash ripped his eyes away from Clemont as the voice spoke.

"Moltres, Articuno, and Zapdos," the man said, stepping into the room via a large door on the far side. "Three Treasures to combine by the Chosen One. Only they can tame the ultimate prize."

The man was tall, appearing to be in his early fifties, with green hair spiked on the sides. He had a sharp jawline, a wide smile, and violet eyes that bored right through Ash. He was clad in a blue and black robe of sorts, walking swiftly towards the group.

"Who are you?" Brock asked, his narrow eyes somehow squinting even further.

"Oh, where are my manners," the man replied, coming to a stop between the two cages as he looked down at the tablet. He studied it for a moment, placing a hand against the display glass before turning to Brock. "My name is Lawrence. Lawrence the Third."

"And what do you want with us?" Jesse barked, folding her arms in an attempt to look tough.

Lawrence simply smiled at her and motioned to Zapdos. "You were merely accidental collections in pursuit of my true prize. Nothing more."

Jesse fumbled in her response, but Misty's glare was growing harsher and harsher. Lawrence whisked himself away, strutting over to Moltres and Zapdos, who's cawing had died down tremendously.

"Moltres! The Titan of Fire!" He presented, throwing his arms forward as if to offer up the Bird for display. Then he motioned over to Zapdos. "And Zapdos! The Titan of Lightning. What do you think?" He turned back to the two groups. "Impressive are they not? Of course without Articuno it's not a complete set-"

"That's disgusting!" Misty shouted, cutting the man off. She'd been silent since they arrived on the floating building, only casting glares towards the others and her surroundings. Now she had someone to take her frustrations out on. "The way you talk it's like Pokémon are something to be collected like dolls, or stamps. What kind of Trainer are you?"

"Yeah!" Bonnie shouted for emphasis.

Lawrence looked momentarily at a loss during her outburst, but he soon smiled. "I'm afraid I'm not a Trainer, young lady," he addressed Misty. "I am merely…a collector."

Misty's expression was a deep indicator that she found his reply revolting.

"I started my collection with a simple Mew card, and now I have all this," he swept his arms in a wide circle, motioning towards the artifacts along the walls. "Even I must say it is an impressive collection."

"He's more full of himself than Jesse," James commented, followed by a loud shriek of pain from Jesse's fist hitting his head.

"Release them!" Misty bellowed, pointing to the two Birds. "They're not meant to be captured like this!"

"If I release them, then I cannot complete the Prophecy, I'm afraid," Lawrence told her, a bit of shame to his voice. "No harm will come to them, you have my word."

"Keeping Pokemon against their will is wrong," Ash shouted, matching the intensity of Misty's own glare.

"Pokemon are supposed to be our friends," Serena added. "Not put on some display for people to gawk at."

Lawrence stared at her for a moment, even taking a few steps her direction. Serena recoiled back, bumping into Ash and Misty as she did. Both moved to step in front of her simultaneously, their fists clenching at the same moment.

Lawrence stopped, and motioned to Serena. "I know you," he said, speaking slow as if he weren't quite sure. "I've recently taken a liking to the Pokemon Performances in Kalos. You're a Performer, yes?"

Serena didn't answer him, but her stutter and hard swallow was all the reply he needed.

"And yet you lecture me about putting Pokémon on display."

Serena's scared expression shifted...hard. It snapped into one of pure anger, nearly surpassing the furious red head beside her. "That's different!" She shouted. "I work with my Pokémon to entertain others. We're a team. We trust each other."

Lawrence continued to stare at her, a small hum escaping his lips. Each person in their group, human and Pokémon alike, glared down at the man before them. Dedenne and Pikachu's cheeks sparked, while Ash and Misty grit their teeth and scooted closer together to shield Serena from view. Clemont's grip tightened around his Language Translator device, and Bonnie puffed out her reddening cheeks. Brock took a long breath through his nose, while Team Rocket started cracking their knuckles.

Lawrence opened his mouth to finally reply, but Vi's voice cut him off. " _Articuno detected approaching Lightning Island."_

Most of the group jumped from the sudden interruption, but Lawrence simply smiled to himself. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut our discussion short. Do not worry, once I have collected the ultimate prize I will let you all go on Shamouti without a scratch. Until then, enjoy looking over my collections."

He waved his hand and turned his back to them. Quickly he strode across the room and exited through the same door in which he'd arrived. A tension rapidly deflated from the room, and Ash and Misty visibly relaxed as the door slid shut.

Ash turned back to Serena, "Are you okay?"

She looked up into his worried amber eyes, and nodded. "Mhm, I'm fine. That man is just so…sick!"

"We've seen our fair share," Misty said, looking at Ash. "We have to get out of here. We can't let him keep Moltres and Zapdos locked up."

"I was thinking the same thing," Ash said to her, and for a moment he felt like they were ten or eleven again. Having stumbled into another crazy adventure, going up against all odds in an attempt to stop the bad guy. It was a feeling he'd long forgotten, having Misty by his side during times like these, confidence! For whatever reason, when she stood by him, he felt like he could accomplish anything. Maybe it had something to do with his new found feelings for her?

A blush crept upon his cheeks as he stared at her, and much to his surprise, he saw the same thing happen on her. She quickly shook her head and ripped her gaze away, looking over towards Clemont. "Hey!" She called. "Do you have anything in your bag that can get us out of here?"

Two steps ahead of her, Clemont was rummaging through his pack. "Maybe," he called back. "I might be able to enter into the circuitry and short it out. That might interrupt the flow of energy and allow us to escape."

"Come on, Clemont," Ash added. "We're counting on you."

The blonde didn't reply, sticking out his tongue as he furiously searched through his pack. After a moment a shouted in frustration and hung his head.

"You didn't find anything?" Bonnie asked pitifully.

Brock scratched his chin, swallowed hard, and then sighed. "Could you re-cross those wires in your translating device?"

Clemont's head snapped up. "Yeah, but that would cause it to overload and explode again."

"Unfortunately," Brock nodded, "but maybe the surge of power would be enough to shut this energy cage off?"

Clemont blinked twice, processing the idea, and then he cast a glance down at the device in his hand. "Well, if the energy wall can keep us in, that means the air in here is condensed. If this space were to suddenly fill up with enough force, the bindings should shatter and the energy would dissipate."

Team Rocket's eyes widened at the suggestion. "You want to blow us up to escape?!" Jesse shrieked.

"I may have nine lives but dat don't mean I wanna test it out," Meowth added with fear.

"The detonation would hurt us," Clemont reasoned. "Not too badly anyway."

Bonnie gulped. "If it's what we have to do to save Moltres and Zapdos, then do it, Big Brother."

"I agree," Brock said. "We're out of options."

"Alright," Clemont nodded. "Everyone brace yourselves."

As he flipped open the back panel, Team Rocket went into a frenzy of panic. They screamed and tore at the energetic wall, but despite their attempts it was futile. They weren't getting out.

"Hey," Ash called. "What's going on? Have you found something?"

Misty narrowed her gaze as she saw Clemont fiddling inside his device. "What's he doing?"

Ash wasn't in a position to see, but Pikachu and Dedenne crawled up to the top of his head and peered over. Alarm spread across their small faces and they began waving their arms and jabbering away in an attempt to alert Ash and the others. There was no time then to understand, however, as suddenly a loud boom rocked the floor beneath them and the other energy cage filled with dust and debris. The metal bindings around it shattered and blasted outwards, clattering to the floor and sliding away. The dust spread outwards, billowing up towards the ceiling. Ash and Serena shouted together in alarm, and Serena planted her palms against their cage. The dust slowly cleared, revealing six figures sitting on their rumps with frizzled hair.

"He blew us up, he blew us up, he blew us up," Jesse was repeating those words frantically, a hand reaching up to feel her mess of a hairdo.

Bonnie groaned as she sat up, her pigtail stocking up in a bulbous poof. "That wasn't the best idea we've had."

"I agree," Clemont moaned, adjusting his glasses as he sat up beside her. "I think I might get sick…"

His face turned a shade of green and he wobbled in place. Brock pushed himself to his feet, swaying in place beside Meowth, who's fur resembled a Jigglypuff at this point.

"Awesome, Clemont," Ash cried, excited to see his friends free. "Do ours quick!"

"What?!" Misty's eyes widened as she snapped her head towards him.

"I can't," Clemont replied, swallowing hard to keep himself from vomiting. "I'd have to find a way inside your cage to detonate something."

"Let's try our Pokémon," Brock suggested, reaching back to unclip one of his PokeBalls. He stumbled a few steps to the side before he caught himself, and he hardened his stare to quell the dizziness. "Help us out, Marshtomp!"

He tossed his PokeBall up and it burst open with a bright flash. The Water Type emerged with a happy cry, and looked back at Brock expectantly.

"Use Mud Shot on that cage," he ordered, pointing towards Ash, Misty, and Serena.

"Stomp!" Marshtomp cooed and opened its mouth. Thick mud spewed forth, slamming into the energy barrier directly in front of Ash's face. He cried out and stumbled back, bumping into Misty. Pikachu and Dedenne were barely able to keep ahold of his head.

"Let's go, Luxray," Clemont said, rising to his feet and tossing his own PokeBall. "Help out with Swift."

The black and blue doglike Pokémon materialized by Marshtomp with a cry of its name. It wasted no time it shooting the glowing starts after the Mud Shot.

"Help 'em out," Ash said to the two electric mice on his head. They squeaked and jumped down.

Pikachu curled in his arms, closing his eyes and concentrating hard. "PiiiiikaaaaaCHUUUUU!"

Dedenne nuzzled its own cheeks, building up a large static shock. "NeneNENENE!"

Two distinct bolts of electricity shot straight up, striking the top of their cage and arcing down through the barrier. They continued the stream of electricity, grunting more with each passing second.

"Keep it up," Ash called, clenching his fists.

"More power, Marshtomp!" Brock imitated Ash.

"You too, Luxray!" Clemont echoed.

The attacks grew larger, the static buildup causing Serena and Misty's hair to curl at the ends. Misty attempted to flatten down her hair by pressing her palms against her scalp.

The barrier began to flicker, spurring Ash into action. He launched himself forward, slamming his shoulder into the energy. Again and again he tossed himself, grunting with each impact until finally the barrier exploded. Much like the other cage, the metal bindings blasted in all directions and its occupants were dumped onto the ground. Ash toppled forward from his velocity, calling out as he crashed to the floor. Serena and Misty squawked in surprise as they suddenly fell to their rumps, and the two mouse Pokémon ceased their attacks with a surprised cry.

"You guys okay?" Brock questioned, rushing to Misty's side. Bonnie ran over to Serena, while Clemont raced to Ash.

"I'm fine," Ash confirmed, pushing himself off the floor.

"Me too," Misty nodded to Brock.

"So am I," Serena told them at large.

Hearing that they were okay, Ash's mind jumped back to their immediate concern. "Moltres! Zapdos!"

He rocketed to his feet, reaching back for two PokeBalls as he ran towards the Birds. They watched him curiously as he slid to a stop and raised the Balls high.

"Charizard, Buizel, I choose you!"

Two simultaneous flashes of light revealed the Fire breathing flying type and the small frisky Water Pokémon. Charizard roared its presence, while Buizel jumped into the air.

"Use your strongest attacks," Ash commanded. "Hit Moltres' cage."

They obliged, letting loose a torrent of fire and water that combined and smashed into the barrier. Moltres watched with curiosity as the attacks morphed around the cage. Pikachu sprinted up beside his companions and launched his electricity alongside the duo of attacks. Behind the group, Team Rocket watched on with interest, taking a glance towards Zapdos.

"Well, if freeing the Legendaries is what must be done," Jesse started.

"Then our battle will surely be won," James finished, plucking forth his own PokeBall. "Go, Inkay!"

The little floating squid-like Pokemon appeared, happily cooing beside its Trainer.

"Smash that cage," James pointed towards Zapdos.

"You as well, Gourgeist," Jesse mimicked James' action and threw her own PokeBall.

The Pumpkin Pokemon gave a hearty cry as it appeared alongside Inkay, and together the two Pokémon smashed themselves into the energetic barrier. They merely bounced off, toppling to the floor.

"Hey you's two, dis ain't da time for a nap," Meowth called, dancing on his feet. "Get up and fight!"

The two Team Rocket Pokemon obliged, throwing themselves back at the barrier. Ash grit his teeth as they once more were blasted back, and it seemed his own Pokemon's attacks weren't doing much. But then, one of the metal bindings around Moltres' cage bent, and the rest gave way. It detonated outward in a large explosion, covering Pikachu, Charizard, and Buizel with the smoke. Ash himself had to hide his face behind his arm and close his eyes to keep from inhaling it.

He heard the group gasp from behind him, and his eyes jerked open as claws raked against the smooth surface of the floor. Moltres stepped from the smoke, able to fully extend its wings to their full length. The flames along its backside roared higher, emitting a heat the likes of which Ash had never felt before. And that was saying something as he thought back to battling Blaine inside a volcano.

Moltres cawed loudly, vibrating their inner eardrums with its mighty cry. A spark of anger ignited within its eyes, and Moltres turned its head towards Zapdos. Ash realized the attack was coming too late, and Moltres blasted a powerful jet of flames straight for the Lightning Bird. They warped around the cage, sending Inkay and Gourgeist fleeing for safety.

Ash was forced to shield himself as yet again a cage exploded, followed by a loud angry caw of Zapdos. Lightning shot from the smoke, striking Moltres in the chest and stumbling the Fire Bird back.

"Stop it-" Ash attempted to scream, but Moltres took off into the air. Zapdos emerges from the fading smoke, flapping its wings in pursuit of its target.

Moltres opened its beak and emitted a stream of flames straight down towards Zapdos, but the Bird dodged the attack. Brock realized the attack was headed straight for them, and grabbed Misty by her arm. "MOVE!"

He hauled her away as Serena scooped up Bonnie and sprinted the other direction. The flames slammed into the floor with force, scorching and cracking the polished tile, leaving a thick layer of smoke in its wake.

"Bonnie!" Clemont shouted in fear.

"Misty!" Ash did the same.

Serena burst through the smoke, carrying Bonnie in her arms. Clemont saw this, and ran for them, almost immediately developing a stitch in his side. He reached out and received her as they met, to which Bonnie clung desperately to her Brother. Misty and Brock soon followed, and Ash met them with a worried look. "Misty are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she shot at him as Team Rocket screamed in fear and dodged one of Zapdos' attacks.

"They're going to tear this place apart," Brock noted, raising his eyes to follow the quarreling Birds.

"And us along with it," Misty added, grabbing her side with a sharp look of pain.

Ash noticed this, and quickly grabbed her wrist to pull her hand away. Without even thinking, he raised her shirt to see the damage. Misty's cheeks turned pink as Ash's fingers touched her bare rib, and she swatted him away.

"You're hurt," he pointed out, not realizing his actions due to the adrenaline surging through his body.

"I told you I'm fine," she repeated herself sternly, though her cheeks remained pink.

BOOM! The entire structure rocked from an impact, and Ash ripped his eyes away from Misty to see the damage. A massive hole had been blasted out of the wall, and Moltres flew through it. Dark stormy clouds drifted lazily by, followed by a flash of lightning and thunder. Zapdos cawed angrily and attacked the wall with one of its own attacks, creating a hole for it to chase after the Fire Bird. Their caws were suddenly much further away, but the structure continued to rock and shake from their attacks.

"I think their attacking the building," Brock pointed out, swaying in place from a particularly violent jolt.

"Then we have to get out of here!" The Team Rocket Trio cried together, racing for the door in which Lawrence had exited. It did not slide open for them, nor did it budge when they began pushing and pulling on it.

Ash on the other hand, hardened his stare and sprinted for the hole Moltres had made. He ignored the calls from his friends, and the sounds of feet behind him, stopping only once he was within threatening distance of falling out of the building. He peered outside into the growing storm, gasping at the sight. Ice was forming along the banks of Lightning Island, and snow had covered it in its entirety. Moltres zoomed by, melting a large propellor attached to the floating building with its flames. It flew by a different one, which was immediately detonated due to an attack by Zapdos.

It was slight, but the floor started tipping forward, pushing Ash nearer to the hole as his shoes slid. Lightning Island grew closer and closer, growing in size faster with each passing second. His brain, racing from the rapid string of events, managed to piece together they were plummeting from the sky as black smoke started billowing from the bottom of the building. It twisted and morphed with the wind, clouding his view of the ever closer Island.

A gasp startled him from his right, and he felt a hand clamp shut around his upper arm. He turned to see Misty, with her eyes locked onto something in the distance. Following her gaze, he saw why she gasped. A sleek, icy blue bird soared over the top of Lightning Island, a high pitched caw ringing out. It's ribbon-like tail glistened in a flash of lighting, and Articuno blasted an Ice-Beam their direction. It was met with a blazing hot Flamethrower from Moltres, and the attacks detonated upon impact.

Brock recalled Marshtomp as he sprinted behind Pikachu, racing for Ash and Misty. The mouse squeezed between their legs to better see, while Brock simply had to stop behind them. He spotted Lightning Island, and how close it had become.

"Move back!" He told them urgently. "Get away from the hole!"

Grabbing their shoulders and pulling for encouragement, Ash and Misty got the message. As the first frozen treetop passed by his view, Ash backed away quickly, turning on the spot and running. Pikachu bounded beside him as they ran side by side with Brock and Misty, and only a few seconds passed before the entire structure quaked from the largest boom yet. Ash was knocked to his chest as the sky structure crashed and slid along the surface of Lightning Island, propelled by layers of unnatural ice.

He could barely get a grip on himself from the sheer amount of shaking and jolting. Pikachu bounced against his side, soon followed by Misty and then Brock on the other. He was vaguely aware of his other friend's shouts of terror, as well as Team Rocket's. After what seemed like an eternity of quaking, the motions ceased, but a dull creaking sound replaced the booms. Ash hurriedly sat up, glancing around at everyone. For the most part they seemed okay, just quite literally shaken up. Charizard and Buizel righted themselves, looking to Ash to make sure him and Pikachu were alright. Dedenne cried out and sprinted over to Bonnie, burying himself within her shoulder bag and shivering.

A loud metallic snap jolted the structure, and Clemont's eyes shot up towards the hole. Another snap cracked out, and his eyes widened. "We need to get out of here! Right now!" He shouted, pulling out Luxray's PokeBall and recalling his Pokémon.

He didn't need to tell anyone twice, that was for certain. Ash was first on his feet, reaching for both Charizard and Buizel's PokeBall to recall them. Brock and Misty soon rose, as well as the others. Team Rocket scrambled to stand, toppling over each other in their haste. Ash had recalled both his Pokémon and broke into a sprint with the others before they'd regained themselves and began running. Inkay and Gourgeist hovered after them, getting recalled in a flurry of panicked screams from the Trio.

Ash was the first one to their makeshift exit, his heart beating a pulse of relief to see a large piece of metal had wedged itself between the hole and the Island below. It made the perfect ramp, and so Ash leaped down the few feet to it, immediately greeted by a harsh wind. He heard everyone else follow his action, and Serena squeaked on her own impact. He cast a glance back to make sure everyone was still following, and felt another beat of relief to see they were.

With each step his foot threatened to slip on the metal surface, and he even saw Pikachu stumble once. Instinctively he wanted to reach down and grab his Pokemon, but the metal beneath him shuttered and began to bend. Feeling the sloped metal steadily growing steeper, Ash unwillingly quickened his pace. The others behind him were huffing and puffing, and Clemont suddenly shouted. Before Ash could look back, something slammed into him with a hard crash and he was knocked forward, tucking his head in to save it from the impact. With no control, he tumbled forward, rolling over and over, joining the others in fearful screams as they rolled like stones down a hill. Ash grit his teeth, dreading the impact of hard ground sure to come.

Then he stopped, colliding with a soft poof into a large bank of snow. White flurries blasted into the air as the group spilled across the snow covered ground of Lightning Island. For a moment Ash could breathe, until the metal slope they'd used to escape started cracking and leaning their way. The entire sky structure groaned as it moved towards them, looming high and blocking their view of the storm.

Ash shouted a command to run, not knowing whether he was heard, though everyone seemed to get the message. This time Pikachu clambered up his clothes to his shoulder, avoiding having to bunny hop through the snow. Ash wound up last, following behind Clemont and Bonnie. He pushed Clemont in the back as Bonnie pulled his wrists, urging the usually slow Trainer to go faster. To his credit, Clemont was moving unnaturally fast for himself, though there were numerous reasons for him to continue running.

A shadow fell over them as the sky building came falling down, and Ash held his breath, thinking this is what a bug must feel like before being squashed. Then the ground dropped out from under him as the building crashed around them, knocking the entire group on their faces. Misty thudded beside him, partially landing on his backside. The sound of stone cracking filled their ears, and something landed in the snow beside Ash, gently rolling into his view. It came to a stop directly in front of him, only a few inches from his nose. A palm sized sphere, yellow in color, eerily similar to the Fire Orb buried deep in his pocket. Which he'd forgotten about until seeing this Orb so directly presented to him.

He blinked from his confusion a few times. Registering that he was still alive and that the Lightning Orb had somehow appeared before him in the snow.

Serena groaned from somewhere in front of him, and she commented, "That was too close."

He pulled his eyes away from the Orb, spotting Pikachu's tail sticking out of the snow first. The mouse turned in place, pulling his head up for air with a gasp. Brock was beyond him, sitting up and shaking the white specks from his face. Next was Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie and then Team Rocket. But not barely more than teen feet away was one of the destroyed propellers of the sky building, smashed directly onto what was once the Lightning Island Shrine. A couple of frozen palm trees had been knocked over beside it, with one of them leaning heavily over a cliff face towards the ocean.

Ash couldn't help but gulp, seeing how close to death they'd all just came, and his eyes traveled back to the Orb before him. Without thinking, he raised a hand and reached out for it. His grip closed around the sphere, pulling it out of the snow. Like the Fire Orb, a deep light within the Lightning Orb ignited, flickering a vibrant yellow.

Misty's palms pressed into his back, a weight he wasn't expecting, and shoved his face back into the snow. It filled his nostrils, and he yanked his head free once more and spurted snow with a harsh cough.

"Sorry," she apologized distantly, crunching the snow beneath her feet as she stood.

Some of her hair had fallen loose from the rolling, and her bangs were now strung across her face. She blew them aside, casting her eyes skyward. Thunder clapped as lightning flashed, shaking each of them to their center. Ash became aware of how cold he was still lying in the snow as everyone else got to their feet, but it was short lived realization. Angry caws carried up and over the ridge line by the destroyed Shrine, followed by detonations of Pokémon attacks. He scrambled to his feet, stuffing the Lightning Orb into his free pocket as he ran for the cliff. Pikachu followed him, forcing his way through the snow. They came to stop directly on the cliffs edge, overlooking the other Islands.

Flying chaotically between them were the trio of Legendary Birds. Each blasted an attack at the other, attempting to knock their foes from the sky. Moltres intercepted a Thunderbolt with its flames, and then spun to dodge an Ice Beam from Articuno. Being so focused on Moltres, the Ice Bird received a direct hit from Zapdos and buckled in the air. It regained itself and cawed in fury, returning fire at the Lightning Bird. The shoreline of Fire Island took a massive combined hit, cracking and twisting the rocks so that they fell into the ocean. Slowly, but surely, the Birds were making their way towards Shamouti Island.

"We have to stop them," came Misty's voice beside him, but Ash didn't get startled. He was too focused on the fighting. A deep concern mixed with determination in his eyes.

"How are we supposed to get back to Shamouti?" Serena asked uncertainly.

Ash didn't pull his gaze away from the Birds, but the entire group must've joined him at the cliff face.

"Maybe there's a dock somewhere on the Island," Clemont suggested. "The Shamouti People surely would have a way to land on the Island."

"If there's a dock, there's probably a boat," Misty deduced, inwardly scolding herself for letting them get taken without Gyarados. He'd be a massive help right now. "Come on, let's find it."

She forced herself to quit watching the quarrel, and stomped through the snow. Team Rocket cast curious glances back and forth before simultaneously deciding to follow the red head. Brock nodded firmly to himself, then did the same. Clemont remained in place for a moment, carefully studying the flight patterns of the Birds. Bonnie tugged on his sleeve, pulling him from his thoughts. He gave her an encouraging half smile before they too turned to follow the others.

Only Ash, Pikachu, and Serena remained. Each of their gazes on a different target. Pikachu watched the Birds, flinching as Zapdos took a direct hit of flames. Serena watched the raven haired Trainer beside her, worry spreading across her face. Ash watched their destination, hopefully wishing his friends still on Shamouti would predict the disaster and act accordingly. Gary would lead them, that much he knew for sure, and Dawn and May were fierce when they wanted to be. They'd do everything they could to stop the destruction. Tracey would take care of Delia and Professor Oak, making sure they got to safety.

Serena pulled her eyes away from Ash, glancing back at their friends as they walked away. She inhaled a sharp breath and turned back to Ash. Gently she reached out a hand and touched his shoulder, saying his name softly. It was no secret the Birds fighting was tearing him up inside. She knew him well enough to know he was thinking of a dozen ways to stop their quarrel. If only that man, Lawrence, hadn't forcefully captured them and made them so angry to begin with.

Ash suddenly tensed, turning to Serena and grabbing her waist. "WATCH OUT!"

She didn't have time to register his hand placement, nor the sudden proximity of his face to hers, or their bodies smashed together. All she heard was the streak of lightning cracking against ice as a stray attack blasted against the cliffside below them. The ground cracked beneath their feet, and Ash's attempt to save her was for naught as the rocks gave way.

Serena and Ash screamed in unison as they suddenly became weightless. Pikachu's small frame slapped against her leg, clasping on tight. Snow pelted against her face as jagged stoned cut at her clothes, and all she could do was hear her friend's scream for them as they plummeted down towards the shoreline.

* * *

Dawn's hand shot out, fingers wrapping themselves around Gary's wrist as the pair watched from the Shrine. If he felt her grip, he didn't react, his eyes remaining fixed on the two Legendary Birds assaulting the strange building flying through the sky. Which had slowly began sinking from the clouds soon after Zapdos and Moltres appeared.

Piplup shifted in Dawn's arms, wearing the same grim expression as his Trainer. Fear etched its way into her heart, striking deep as the suspicion that her friends were on board penetrated her mind. She couldn't explain how she knew, but if being friends with Ash had taught her anything, it was that he was caught in the middle of whatever was happening. There was simply no denying it, Dawn feared for her friend's safety.

The sky building continued plummeting from the air, heading straight for Lightning Island. The crash was heard by the duo, the snapping of trees reaching them as the building scraped along the snow covered Island. Smoke and fire danced at the ends of their vision, and the Birds flew high into the sky now that their task was complete. They noticed Articuno coating the Island with ice, and Zapdos fluffed its feathers before swooping forward to assault the Ice Bird.

Gary suddenly turned to Dawn. "Go back into town. I'll get over there and see if anyone needs help."

Her eyes snapped to him incredulously. "What?! You want me to run? I should go too."

"No," he shook his head. "I need you to warn Gramps and the others about what's going on. It's only a matter of time before those Birds make their way this direction. When that happens, Shamouti needs to be prepared."

"But why are they fighting?" Dawn asked, looking back over to the Birds, tightening her grip on Gary's wrist.

"That's not the question we need to be asking right now," Gary told her. "We need to figure out how to stop them, but first we have to help the people."

Dawn looked back to him, seeing the fierce determination in her eyes. It caused her heart flutter, and she'd almost forgotten how similar to Ash he could be sometimes. It was subtle, and they each did it in their own ways, but Gary had all the same qualities that made Ash who he was. He just didn't show them as often, or they were much harder to read unless you knew how. Something Dawn learned to do during their time together in Sinnoh.

"I'll warn them," she agreed. "But then I'm coming right back! You'll need my help."

Seeing the mirrored look of determination spark in her beautiful eyes, Gary knew there wasn't any talking her out of it. He used to try, when they did something semi-dangerous in Sinnoh, but he always lost out and she helped anyway.

"Alright fine," he nodded. "But you come back here-" he motioned to the Shrine, "and wait for me. I'll meet back up with you."

Hearing the words ' _wait for me'_ caused another flutter throughout her heart, but she ignored it for the pressing situation and gave him a curt nod. "I'll be right back," she declared, and tightened her grip on Piplup as she pulled her hand back to herself and sprinted away.

Gary watched her go for a moment, watching her until the last strands of long hair vanished around the bend of the beach., then he grabbed a PokeBall and enlarged it. Quickly he sprinted back to the stone steps and raced down them two at a time. He hurtled the last few, his shoes slapping against the sand when he landed. Rushing to the ocean, he tossed his PokeBall high. After the flash, a burly looking Blastoise materialized, looking to the sky with confusion as it clapped with lightning and thunder.

"Blastoise," Gary said to get its attention. "I need you to carry me to that Island." He pointed over to the smoke rising from Lightning Island.

Blastoise turned its large head that way, and frowned when it saw the condition of the ocean. Large waved crashed into each other, sloshing back and forth with the ever growing storm. Patches of ice were tossed to and fro, disappearing beneath the waves only to resurface with a vengeance.

"I know it's going to be tough," Gary added. "But there may be people who need our help. We have to go."

Blastoise looked back at its Trainer, mimicking the determined look on Gary's face, and it nodded. It took some effort, due to the constant sloshing of the sea waves on the shoreline, but Gary managed to climb on Blastoise's back. They took off, surging across the ocean surface for Lightning Island. Yesterday he didn't want to chance riding Blastoise to Fire Island to investigate the small explosions he'd heard, now he was gripping as hard as he could against the turtle's shell while the storm rocked him back and forth. Salt water burned his vision as a wave splashed up and over the pair of them, drenching Gary through his clothes. There was no doubt, if he managed to stay on Blastoise, his muscles would be screaming at him in agony by the time they made it to their destination. But they had to go, if his suspicions were right, and Ash and the others had been on that building, then they would need his help.

Something pulled his vision back towards Shamouti. A strange feeling of being watched that sent a shiver throughout his inner core. Carefully he craned his neck back, scanning the beach for any sign of life. It wasn't on the beach, however, the source of his feeling was coming from the Shrine itself, in the very spot he'd just been standing. A Slowking, with its arms folded behind its back, watched him curiously as Blastoise pressed on.

* * *

 **And the action kicks off!**

 **I thoroughly enjoyed this chapter, and hope you guys did too. The tiny bit of tension between Ash, Misty, and Serena was fun to incorporate into the moments, and I kept giggling to myself at Clemont having to detonate one of his devices to escape.**

 **What moments did you guys enjoy the most? Let me know in the reviews! As always, let me know what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9

Moltres cawed with fury, twirling away from a lightning attack and retaliating with fire. Articuno slammed its body into Moltres, knocking the large fire type off course before receiving a direct hit from Zapdos' electricity. The three Birds zigged and zagged around one another, growing ever closer to Shamouti Island. Misty scowled as she watched the quarrel, inwardly cursing that man who attempted to capture them.

"If there's a dock, there's probably a boat," Misty said, clenching her fists. "Come on, let's find it."

She spun on the spot, the snow beneath her feet making that a simple task. Ripping her eyes away from the quarreling Birds had been harder than she'd thought. Despite their fighting, there was something majestic about the way they flew. So much power and confidence behind each beat of their wings. The energy in their attacks could almost be felt at her distance, and it scared her. These Pokémon were powerful, more powerful than a first glance would ever say.

One by one the group started to follow her, evident by the crunching of snow beneath their shoes. Misty had no clue where a dock would be on Lightning Island, but they had to find it. Whether or not any of them could do anything to stop the fighting, they had to try. They had to undo the damage Lawrence caused by angering such powerful forces of nature.

Suddenly the hairs on her neck and arms stood on edge. A feeling reminiscent of when Pikachu's static electricity would discharge close by her. Ash screamed, the ground quaked, and Misty barely had time to glance back before him, Pikachu, and Serena vanished over the edge of the crumbling cliff.

"ASH!" She screamed, slipping in the snow in an attempt to race to his aid. Brock caught her, but she used his momentum to throw herself forward and keep running. She stumbled again when the ground beneath her cracked with a sharp twang.

The group cried out in one consecutive shout when the ground split apart, shifting furiously and quickly. Bonnie clung to Clemont with her face buried into his torso. Team Rocket huddled together with a terrified cry. Brock slipped and landed beside Misty in the snow, who was looking around frantically trying to understand what was happening. Then it all stopped, and everything was still. She inhaled sharply, pushing herself upright to steady her spinning head. Aquamarine eyes grew wide as they traveled along a deep fissure in the ground, completely separating her and Brock from the others.

"Is everyone okay?" Clemont called out, adjusting his glasses as he looked around.

"We're fine," Brock called back, brushing the snow out of his hair. He spotted the fissure, and a deep frown soon followed. "That's not good. It looks like we're cut off."

Clemont studied the fracture in the ground as Bonnie finally pulled her gaze free from him. She timidly looked around, gulping at the sight of the fissure.

"It looks like there's no way across," Clemont noticed, seeing that Brock and Misty were completely trapped on the side with the cliff's edge.

Misty stood up, ignoring everyone else for the moment and heading to the place where Ash had fallen. She dropped to her knees, sliding across the snow and damp grass to the edge of the cliff. At the bottom of a thirty foot drop was a pile of rocks and snow, laying against the cliff face on a thin beach line. Her heart went cold at the sight, nerves tingling with a numbness she'd never felt before. A certain type of fear growing in her chest, one of sorrow and…death.

She quickly shook her head, whipping it back and forth violently in an attempt to rid that thought. Ash wasn't dead! Neither was Pikachu nor Serena. They were all just fine! Trapped, but fine, and they needed her help.

"I'm climbing down," Misty said to Brock, not turning around.

She expected him to argue, or to tell her she was crazy for wanting to attempt it, but instead he softly agreed with her. "We don't have a choice," he said. "We have to get down there as quick as possible."

Brock turned back to the others, raising his voice so they could hear him better. "You guys find a way around and find the dock," he told them. "We'll catch up once we've got Ash and Serena."

"Are you sure we should split up?" Clemont asked.

"We don't have a choice," Brock replied. "Just hurry, we don't have a lot of time."

Clemont swallowed, grit his teeth, and nodded. "We'll go as fast as we can. You guys be sure to have Ash and Serena ready when we find you again."

Brock closed his fist and raised a thumb Clemont's direction.

"Let's go, Bonnie," Clemont said to his sister, and she cast Brock and Misty a worried look before nodding back at him. Then sprinted off together, heading towards the Northern end of the Island. Team Rocket looked momentarily at a loss, casting glances back and forth between the vanishing siblings and Brock and Misty turning themselves to climb down the cliff side.

"What should we do?" James asked quietly to his companions.

"We follow the blonde twerps of course," Jesse said sharply. "If they find a boat, we'll need them to get off this Island."

"And as far away from the Boid's as possible," Meowth added.

James didn't look entirely convinced by the idea, something Jesse picked up on. "What?"

He quickly looked away, fidgeting with his hands while he stuttered to begin speaking. "I-I-I-It's just that...maybe the twerps are going to need our help this time? Those Legendary's seem pretty powerful."

"Unbelievable," Jesse spat. "You want to help them? Why would we help a bunch of goodie-goodies like them?

"We've done it before, Jesse," James pointed out. "And for far less dangerous circumstances."

Jesse opened her mouth to argue, but apparently decided against it. She closed her mouth and again and ' _hmphed_ ', turning her nose up away from James. "Whatever, let's just follow the nerdy twerp and puny twerp for now."

With that said, she marched off after Clemont and Bonnie. James and Meowth shared a curious look before they too started after them.

Misty watched them go as she searched for good footing with her right heel. Brock had his feet planted into the ground, with a firm grip around her wrist just in case she slipped hanging precariously over the side as she was. She couldn't hear what Team Rocket had been talking about, but she only hoped they wouldn't cause anymore trouble than there already was. Ash didn't need it.

She glanced down to the pile of rocks and snow far below her, and gulped. The climb down was going to be hard, and aggravatingly slow, but Misty had to do it. Ash needed her help, and she had to know that he was alright.

* * *

People gathered on the beach, more and more guests at the hotel coming outside to investigate the sound of detonations in the distance. At first, May ignored them, thinking they had something to do with a Shamouti tradition, until Tracey frowned and left the room to see for himself. Delia attempted to ask him where he was going, but she received no answer. Two more detonations later, then May and Delia decided to follow him outside.

They left the party room for Ash's surprise celebration and quickly noticed a small crowd of people making their way outside. To say May wasn't a little worried would've been a lie. It had been some time since Dawn and Gary left, and even Professor Oak had yet to return from wherever he had run off to. Earlier she had to console Delia over the fact that Ash hadn't returned from his trip to the other Islands. Something Brock had assured them wouldn't take very long.

"It's Ash!" May had exclaimed with a chipper tone. "He probably got distracted by a wild Pokémon or something. I'm sure they'll be back very soon."

Delia had relaxed, but then the detonations started, and May's confusion and worry only increased when her foot crunched against a thin layer of snow on the beach. As a chilling breeze stung her face, another boom blasted over them, much louder than any of the previous ones. Something akin to an angry Pokémon cry followed suit, and this time May couldn't convince herself it was a Shamouti tradition. Especially since the ocean was churning violently against itself, waves sloshing to and fro against the beach and carrying snow out to sea.

Nearly a hundred hotel guests whispered to one another, while the staff appeared utterly bewildered. They were Shamouti natives, and since they appeared so confused sent an alarming jolt through May's system. Something wasn't right, she'd been around Ash long enough to recognize the signs.

"Tracey," Delia suddenly called, spotting their friend. He stood a dozen feet away from them, staring up at the stormy sky with a deep frown. May hurried alongside Delia to him, and he spoke before either could ask.

"It's snowing," he half whispered in awe, staring at the flurries blowing with the breeze. "It never snows in the Orange Islands…"

"What's going on?" May asked, knowing full well she wasn't going to get an answer. And as expected, Tracey didn't reply.

Delia's gaze turned distant and she faced towards the Southern bend of the Island. Her hand traveled up to her heart, resting against her chest. Swallowing once, she whispered to herself, "Ash…"

May followed her gaze, realizing she was looking in the direction of the other Islands, even if they couldn't see them from their position on Shamouti. May did see something, however, and it made her squint to focus better. A petite girl was shoving her way through the curious crowd, her blue hair flying wildly as she sidestepped a much bigger man. In her arms, a blue penguin waved May's direction frantically.

"Dawn!" May shouted, getting the attention of Tracey, Delia, and even the bluenette in question.

She spotted them, and corrected her course to head their way instead of the hotel. May began Dawn's direction as well, hearing Tracey and Delia behind her. They apologized as they bumped into a few people of the crowd, and May had to abruptly stop when Dawn nearly toppled forward into her from sidestepping a small family.

"Whoa," May said, raising her hands to catch Dawn if she actually fell into her. "Are you alright?"

"We have to get everyone out of here," Dawn said almost too fast for them to hear. "The fighting is coming this way and everyone is in danger!"

Delia suddenly looked alarmed. "Fighting? What fighting? Is that where Gary is?"

It clicked for May that Gary had departed with Dawn, and he was nowhere in sight.

Dawn nodded vigorously, "He went to see if Ash and the others were in the middle of it, or to see if someone needs help. But that's not the point-" she shook her head to get herself back on track, "-The Birds are coming this way and we-"

"The Birds?" Tracey interrupted her with a frown, but it slowly started to fall. "You don't mean the Legendary Birds? Why would they be fighting?"

"Yes!" Dawn cried, squeezing Piplup in her arms. "I don't know what happened, but they blew some floating building out of the sky, and now they're attacking each other!"

"A floating building?" Delia questioned.

May didn't need to question that bit of info, she'd seen her fair share of floating structures during her time with Ash, Brock, and Max.

"You guys have to warn everyone," Dawn practically shouted. "Shamouti needs to evacuate, or prepare to fight back, or something!"

"Us?" May wrinkled her brow. It sounded like Dawn didn't intend to help them. "What about you?"

"I have to get back to the Shrine," she explained frantically. "Gary and the others might need my help."

Tracey shook his head. "If the Birds are really fighting, you can't go back there alone. You'll be putting yourself in the most danger."

"You two go with her," Delia's voice cut Dawn off before the bluenette could argue. Each of the three younger people looked towards the woman with a quizzical look. "I'll find Professor Oak and we'll warn everyone on Shamouti somehow," Delia continued. "You three find my baby boy and help him. If I know him as well as I think I do, him and the others will be right in the center of this. They'll need all of your help."

"Delia-" Tracey started to say, but the older woman cut him off by raising her hand.

"I'll worry about all of you, yes," she said. "But I couldn't live with myself if Ash or the others got hurt because they needed your help."

May looked between all of them, taking in their scared, determined, confused faces. None of them knew what was going on, and that thought frightened May more than anything. The weather was on the fritz, and now three powerful Legendaries of Shamouti were fighting? Hell, before right now, May wouldn't even have been sure if those Legendaries were even around Shamouti. All of it had been rumors she'd heard from the locals, but Dawn never lied.

"Go," Delia pressed, turning her amber eyes towards the raging ocean. "Help my baby."

Something in May's heart twanged. The same concern Delia felt for her son rising for her own family back in Hoenn, and Max in Sinnoh. Drew's worried face peering out the window at the ever growing worse weather conditions flashed in her mind.

"Let's hurry!" Dawn urged, spinning on the spot and heading the direction she'd came from.

May didn't waste any time, immediately stepping to fall in line behind Dawn. She heard Tracey say something to Delia, and Delia return his words. She didn't want to leave Delia alone, but May reminded herself that Delia was a strong woman. She'd find Professor Oak and they'd do what they could to help. Everything would be alright. It always wound up that way in the past right? It would again.

The three of them ran, barely apologizing for bumping into someone on the crowded beach. Suddenly, the sound of detonations in the distance made more sense to May. Attacks colliding and exploding, booming out across the vast ocean. How could she not have thought of that? After she'd heard that sound so many times in the past?

 _Hold on, Ash,_ she thought. _Everyone is on their way!_

* * *

A sharp crack forced his eyes open, which he regretted almost immediately. The world was spinning, a blur of white and brown that made him nauseous. There was light pressure on his chest, pressing his back into something jagged. When he groaned from the vertigo, the weight shifted and moved closer to his head.

"Pikapi?"

Yellow entered into the swirling of colors, beady eyes somehow staying still as they stared at him worriedly.

"Ash!" Serena's voice came to him. "Ash, are you awake?"

"Pikachu, Pikapi?"

Something cracked again, and a feminine Pokemon grunt followed. Slowly, the spinning stopped and Ash blinked a few times. A shiver ran down his spine, making him frown. He was freezing cold, surrounded on all sides by the uncomfortable feeling. A gentle hand rested on his shoulder, pressing into him.

"Come on, you need to sit up," Serena's voice said. "Go easy."

Ash obeyed, his spine popping as he let her hand guide his body motion. The weight on his chest dropped to his lap and shifted again. The first thing he noticed, besides the mixture of white and brown, was a light pink Pokemon on four legs with ribbons dancing around its body. Serena's Sylveon grunted, adjusting its footing as a light green shimmer flickered around it. Ash followed the trail of energy and noticed it completely surrounded him too.

But no where did he see his friends, the sky, or the ocean…they were buried beneath rock and snow…

"Ash…" Serena's voice suddenly went cold, and he looked at her.

Her hair was disheveled, with streaks of dirt running from it across her cheeks and nose. Small cuts adorned her red jacket, and her jeans had a large tear near the knee. He imagined he didn't look much better, that must be why she was looking at his arm with such concern….

His breathing stopped when he saw the amount of blood seeping down his forearm, dripping from his fingertips onto the white snow beneath him. As if suddenly realizing he was hurt activated the pain sensors, a sharp stinging pierced his muscles. He gasped from the pain, gritting his teeth together tight.

"See if you can move it," Serena demanded. "It's not broken is it?"

Ash grunted his compliance, curling his fingers before lifting his arm and bending it at the elbow. Another sharp wave of pain shot through him, but at least his arm wasn't broken.

"Pikapi, Pikachu pika pika," Pikachu cooed from his lap, nuzzling up against Ash's chest.

"I'll be alright," Ash said, hearing the croak in his own voice. Serena pulled her eyes up to his, fear dancing behind her blue orbs. "We can worry about me later," Ash continued. "Right now we have to get out of here."

He cast his gaze all around, studying what little surroundings he had. Thanks to Sylveon using Protect, a small bubble had been formed barely big enough for them to sit up.

"How-" Ash started to ask, but Serena answered before he could finish.

"Sylveon let herself out as we were falling," she said. "I think she's the only reason we weren't crushed…"

If that was true…then how many feet of rock were above them? How many layers of snow? And what about the others? Were they all alright?

Ash's eyes widened as he continued to study the snow surrounding them. If Sylveon was working this hard to keep them from being crushed, then who was going to dig them out? He couldn't release one of his Pokemon to assist. All of them were too big to fit into their tiny space. What if Charizard wasn't strong enough to lift the unknown amount of rocks? What if Buizel knocked Sylveon aside on accident and their Protect bubble vanished?

They were trapped…

Serena watched him silently, already have came to the conclusion he was currently getting to. She watched him swallow hard, and his eyes growing more panicked. His feelings radiated from him, his fear trickling into her own heart. He'd always had that affect on her, as if she could sense his very emotions. His mood was always contagious, whether he was happy, motivated, or sad, he affected everyone around him. That was one of the reasons why she admired him so much…

Pikachu's ears bowed, a visual representation of Serena's inner thoughts as Ash slowly slipped further into panic. The Birds fighting wasn't his fault, but she knew he would blame himself until they stopped. Their friends were God knew where. Were they injured? Were they trying to find Ash and Serena? How much weight was he putting on his shoulder's right now? The snow and rocks brought the weight of a thousand worlds down upon them, crushing them in bleak darkness. Something Serena couldn't allow Ash to do to himself. Not after everything they'd been through. Not after all the confidence and encouragement he'd given her in her times of sorrow.

Her eyes flicked down to his gash. His blue hoodie was ripped drastically, tattered and frayed around his bicep, turning a darker shade of blue with each passing second. The hand she currently still had on his shoulder gripped him tight, but not overly firm. Then she used her other hand to start peeling back the layers of torn fabric.

Her sudden touch on his arm caught his attention, and he swiveled his gaze to watch her work. With a gentleness worthy of a Mother, Serena pulled the torn pieces of hoodie away bit by bit. They clung to one another, sticky from the fresh blood soaking into the fibers. Her fingertips stained red as she folded them aside, but she ignored the coloring. Focusing solely on getting to the gash so she could do something about it. Not once did Ash utter a sound or groan, nor did he flinch from her movements, something Serena was grateful for. She hadn't finished forming her speech in her mind yet, and she wanted it to be exactly what Ash would need to hear.

Finally the wound revealed itself, and to her relief it didn't appear as bad the blood made it out to be. There was a jagged gash running diagonally from his shoulder halfway down to his elbow. If anything, it was just torn skin and bruised flesh from a rock crashing into him as they fell. Trickles of blood oozed from the breaks in his skin, and she frowned as she pondered over how to bandage his arm. Absentmindedly, her bloody hand reached up and touched the red ribbon tied directly beside her blue one.

She glanced down at the pair around her neck, feeling her heart quicken in pace at the sight. One a gift from Ash, a symbol of their friendship, the other a prize won together as close friends.

 _"_ _Red alone signifies beauty and strength," the stall vendor explained as Serena received the ribbon. "The Fire of Moltres burns in your heart, and you're stronger than even you know. Whatever hardships may befall you, something tells me you'll pull through them stronger than before."_

He had been exactly right…but the funny thing was…he hadn't been talking about her. It was a nice sentiment, and she desperately wanted to believe she was strong, but Ash was her strength. And he would pull through this, she would make sure of it. They would get out of their snowy prison, and they would help Shamouti!

As she gripped the red ribbon and undid it with one good pull, she said to him, "Don't give up until it's over."

His eyes widened as the words left her mouth. She kept her own pair locked onto his wound, taking the red ribbon and wrapping it around his arm. All the while, her motions were as gentle as ever, so much so that he barely felt her efforts. Once she had a good wrap around his arm, she looked up directly into his eyes as she tied it, "That's what you always say, right? I know it looks bad right this moment, but our friends are out there. Clemont and Bonnie, Brock and Misty. They'll come for us, and then we'll all go save Shamouti and stop the Legendaries from fighting."

Ash listened to every word with bated breath, somehow completely entranced in what she was saying.

"You know how I know?"

He didn't ask, and she raised a brow so that he got the hint. "H…how?"

"Because that's what you do," Serena replied like it was the simplest thing in the world. "You save people and Pokemon. It's in your nature…but sometimes, we all need saving of our own. We can't always be the savior, sometimes we get knocked down, but we have friends to help us get back up and push through. You taught me that."

Ash's eyes widened even more as his heart surged with a warm feeling. A sensation so overwhelming his eyes began watering. Her blue eyes looked at him with so much fire, so much determination the he almost couldn't take it. He bowed his head, hiding his eyes behind the brim of his hat.

She was right…he couldn't give up just because they were trapped.

A sniffle escaped him, making Serena reach out and place her fingertips under his chin. Slowly, he allowed her to bring his face back up into sight, and she greeted his amber eyes with a smile.

"The guy who gave us those ribbons," she said motioning to the red ribbon with a subtle nod. "He said I was stronger than I knew, that the Fire of Moltres burned in my heart. I think he gave the wrong person that ribbon. You're always so strong, and so passionate. There's no way a fire doesn't burn in your heart, that's why I lov-"

She hitched her voice, realizing what she was about to say. The realization nearly caused her heart to explode with the sudden increase in beats. Butterfree's erupted in her gut as his eyes flickered with a subtle knowing.

"That's….That's…" she repeated, inwardly cursing herself for being stuck on that word. Here she was, right in the moment, doing her best to encourage Ash to hold firm and never give up. To give it his all and never back down….and she couldn't physically say how she felt, even after showing him in Kalos. She wanted to scream, to grab her hair and bellow to the heavens. She wanted to share with him how he made her feel, how he encouraged her to do her best. To strive forward with a smile on her face. He gave her so much power within herself, and she couldn't return the favor…

His hand clasped around her shoulder, followed by the other on her other side. She hadn't realized her eyes closed, but when they snapped open, she spotted a gentle smile on Ash's face.

"I know," was all he said.

The Butterfree's exploded. Filling her entire system with a nervousness the likes of which she'd never felt before. Not when he smiled at her, or when he complimented her, not even when she kissed him in front of the entire Kalos Region. It was pure bliss to see that he understood her feelings!

"But…I don't feel the same way."

The Butterfree's withered and died as a pit formed deep within her soul. Her warmth fell inside, leaving behind only the cold of the snow.

"Don't get me wrong," Ash quickly added upon seeing her mortified face. If he was honest, the sight tore his heart in two. "I care about you, a lot. You're one of my closest friends, and I'll always cherish that. I like that we can laugh together and support one another. You encourage me everyday just with your bright and happy smile. Actually..." he trailed off, furrowing his brow for a moment and then chuckling. "I think I get along with you better than anyone else."

Surprising to herself, some of the warmth returned to her chest, but it was minuscule in comparison to before.

"I'm sorry I can't return your feelings," he continued, his tone growing somber. "I wish I could."

That wasn't a lie. Something changed inside Ash in this moment. Going from on the brink of giving up and accepting his fate to hearing Serena say such wonderful words about him could do that he supposed. The thing was, he could feel her feelings for him for the first time, and it made him feel like such a fool. All those hints throughout Kalos, that he was too dense to see, and she was as patient as ever. Waiting for him to catch on and realize he liked her back. Only…he liked Misty, that much he was certain of. And he was sure that if he'd learned of Serena's feelings before he found his own for Misty, he still wouldn't have been able to return them.

It put him in a position he didn't want to be in.

Here before him, pouring her heart and soul in an attempt to encourage Ash, sat such a sweet and innocent girl. Beautiful and courageous. Intelligent and compassionate. And he would've been a very lucky man to have her, but Ash was Ash. Even if he found a tiny portion within himself to return her feelings, he could never give her false hope. Not when Misty burned so brightly in his heart….a woman he couldn't have…

"I wish I could," Ash repeated. "I want nothing more than for you to be happy, Serena…but…I…there's…" How was he supposed to tell her? How was he supposed to break her heart into a thousand more pieces than he'd already did? His heart shrunk back at the thought, realizing why he'd been so dense to Serena all along. It was a defense, something he hadn't even realized he'd been doing, he never wanted to see her in such a shattered state. He bowed his head. "There's…."

"Misty?"

Hearing her name, Ash snapped his gaze back up to Serena, confirming the statement.

Serena swallowed hard, a tear leaking from her eye as her lip quivered. "It's because of Misty, isn't it? Well…How could it not be? She's beautiful, strong, independent. She's everything you are. How could I have ever compared to her…"

"That's not true," Ash blurted out a little harsh, surprising her to the point that she gasped aloud. "You're all those qualities too, and more. I can't say why I like Misty over you, I don't know anything about how all this is supposed to work, I just know how my heart feels."

He suddenly looked like he'd made an important connection.

"The stall vendor was right when he gave you that ribbon," Ash rambled. "You match Misty as far as a fire burning inside, you're just not as hard headed."

Serena blinked a few times at his words as they suddenly lost all thickness of emotion and sounded more excited. Like a kid trying to explain their enthusiasm to a parent. In fact, in a surprising twist even to her, the sudden change of tune brought a bubble up in her chest, and she giggled.

"I'm serious," he defended himself. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Serena. You're actually pretty awesome."

And just like that, the somber mood within her was gone. He'd done it again, somehow, someway. Ash brought out the best in her.

"Well, if you think so, then I suppose I must be," Serena said, pulling away from Ash so that his hands fell away. She leaned back against the wall of snow and rock. "You're pretty awesome too, you know."

Ash looked completely caught off guard by her sudden change in mood. "Wait…so you're not sad?"

Always on track and right to the point, another thing Serena admired about it. Well… _'on track_ ' might be an exaggeration for the brash boy in front of her.

"I am…" she told him honestly. "It really hurts to hear…but, if you love someone else, you love someone else. They must be pretty special to capture your attention."

A dozen different things that made Misty special popped into his head, causing his cheeks to turn a slight shade of red. But the red coloring changed its reasoning when he noticed Serena's little smirk and he realized she was poking fun at him.

"Hey! What do you mean _to catch my attention_?"

"Ohhhh, just that you have a pretty hard headed, one track mind."

"I do not!"

"You sort of do."

"Nope."

"Mhm."

Ash frowned even harder and opened his mouth to retaliate, but Serena spoke again, cutting him off.

"At any rate, Misty seems like a good person at heart. I guess I can't hold this against her."

Ash didn't know what to make of that statement. Did she mean that Ash liking Misty instead of Serena was somehow Misty's fault? He didn't know the ins and outs of romance, but he was pretty sure the responsibility of his own preferences fell on his shoulders. "Soooo," he started, not really sure what he was going to say, so he decided on, "were still friends right?"

She blinked at him a few times, and then let out a laugh. "Of course! Just because you don't feel the same way I do doesn't mean I want to lose you." Her voice grew much softer as she added, "Your friendship still means the world to me, Ash."

Some of the cold around him vanished as his heart warmed.

"Though, this does put you in a weird position, I imagine."

"Hm?" He panicked. Did she somehow know about the kiss?

"She's getting married tomorrow."

Oh, she didn't know that particular bit. Maybe that was something Ash would keep to himself. "Yeah…she is. But she's happy, and that's what matters, right?"

Silence fell around them as Ash's eyes fell. Serena shifted where she sat, watching Ash with curiosity and sympathy. Her own heart ached and screamed at her, but her admiration for Ash continued to only grow. She wanted to help him in some way, but what was there that could be done? Misty was spoken for. Who would want to break apart a relationship for their own gain? Nobody as pure as Ash, that was for sure.

Part of Serena wanted to play the situation for the long game, and perhaps find her way into Ash's heart, but she would never commit such an act. Especially not against the man that taught her the value of friendship and always trying your best. The value of honesty and compassion. Qualities she held near and dear to her heart

"Ash-" Serena started to say, not really sure where her train of thought would lead her voice, but Pikachu's ears suddenly twitched and he shifted.

Ash looked up too, frowning suddenly and squinting his eyes. When Serena held her breath to listen, she heard what had them acting strange. Voices! Calling out to them and shouting their names. A dull crack vibrated her rump, and then the sound of shifting rocks penetrated her ears.

"Ash? Serena?"

She recognized the voice now. It was Brock!

"Brock!" Ash shouted. "We're down here! Hey!"

Brock spoke again, but it was muffled, and another voice replied followed by more shifting rocks. Suddenly, light pierced through the veil of darkness and Serena had to squint to see. More rocks shifted and Sylveon let out a sigh of relief as the Protect flickered and died. A large blue head greeted their vision, beady eyes squinting down at them as more rocks were tossed aside. As their eyes adjusted to the light, the shape of a Blastoise became apparent.

"Ash!"

His heart jerked at the sound of her voice…Misty's voice. Blastoise cleared enough room for them to stand, and Ash gripped Pikachu before rising. The mouse scurried up to his shoulder, and not a moment too soon. An orange blur rocketed around the turtle Pokémon, slamming into Ash with such force that he fell back into a wall of rock. Misty had her arms wrapped around him, head buried into his chest as she clung tight. His brow shot up in bewilderment as relief mixed in on his expression.

"Are you guys alright?" Brock's voice asked.

"We're okay," Serena replied, standing up. "Ash got banged up, but he'll be alright."

Hearing those words, Misty pulled away from him and he caught a glimpse of her worried eyes. Still a shining aquamarine, despite the distress surging through them.

"I was so worried," Misty said. "I didn't know what we were going to find…"

"Serena and I have been through worse," Ash tried to reassure the red head before him. In truth, he was just as relieved to see her safe and unharmed. "How did you-"

He looked up into the eyes of the Blastoise that dug them out, and he recognized the Pokémon.

"You owe me a new pair of clothes, Ashy-Boy," cake a snarky voice. "Having to swim over here to save your sorry butt wasn't exactly a dry roller coaster."

Ash swiveled his gaze around, seeing the still stormy sky and raging sea. They stood on the beach at the bottom of the cliffside, surrounded by large chunks of rocks, and before him was Gary and Brock with equally worried faces. Despite his demeanor, Ash could clearly see the relief forming inside of Gary, though he was soaking wet from head to toe and looked utterly exhausted.

"Where is everyone else?" Ash asked, his tone dropping.

"We had to split up," Misty replied quickly, unlatching herself from Ash and taking a step back, though that didn't stop her from looking him over top to bottom as if she was scanning for more injuries. "They're looking for the dock right now."

"Dawn was on her way to warn the others when I left," Gary added. "They should be gearing up for the Birds right now."

At the mention of the Legendary's, Ash forced his gaze away from the worried eyes of Misty and found the Birds battling in the sky. Their attacks collided and detonated, lighting the storm clouds with a multitude of colors. They were almost to Shamouti, and only seemed all the more angry.

"Anyone want to fill me in on what happened?" Gary asked.

They all looked to Ash to explain, but he didn't. His mind was racing, trying desperately to think of a way to cease the battle.

"We're not really sure," Serena finally replied to Gary, answering in a slow voice, her answer having more than one meaning. She'd been watching Ash and Misty the moment the red head threw her arms around him, and in that moment she saw it. She wouldn't consider herself an expert, but she was knew romance, and Misty felt the same way about Ash as he did her. If Ash could finally see Serena's feelings for him, why had he not noticed Misty's? Or better yet, if Misty felt the same about Ash, why was she getting married to someone else?

"Which is the usual when this stuff happens," Brock chimed in. "I want to know how we're going to get over there if the others don't find the dock."

He motioned to Shamouti, and Serena followed his line of sight. He was right, what were they going to do if Clemont and Bonnie didn't find a boat?

"Blastoise can't carry all of us back in this storm," Gary said. "I doubt he could even carry me back right now, not after already doing that swim."

Blastoise grunted and nodded as if he were agreeing with his trainer. A soft purr pulled Serena'a attention down to her feet, and she realized Sylveon was still out of its PokeBall, looking completely drained of all its energy. As she quickly apologized and thanked her Pokémon before returning it, Pikachu's ears twitched once again. "Pi?"

Everyone else heard it too. A dull rumbling, like the sound of a motor, coming closer. Ash turned towards the sound, now facing Fire Island with a curious stare. Misty stepped up beside him, her hair getting blown to the side and tickling his neck. He shivered from the sensation, but it didn't last long as Misty suddenly shouted. "It's a boat!"

"Please tell me they're coming this way?" Gary drawled.

"It looks like it…" Brock replied, trailing off as he studied the boat, then he suddenly exclaimed, "Hey! It's Melody!"

Sure enough, Ash could see her long brown hair billowing in the wind as the speedboat sailed their direction, rocked back and forth by the waves. Misty's expression turned a little sour, and she said, "I can't believe it."

The boat jetted straight for them, and the motor suddenly cut off. Melody slowed the boat just enough to keep from beaching herself, and throttled the reverse to keep the ocean from the doing the same.

"There you all are!" She shouted over the wind and purring of her boat. "What happened? What was with that flying building?"

"We don't really know," Brock shouted back, cupping his hands to his mouth. "How did you find us?"

"I saw that thing come crashing out of the sky. I hoped all of you were alright…." She paused as her eyes glanced over each of them, pausing confusedly on Gary for a moment before asking, "where are the others?"

"They're fine," Misty answered. "They're looking for another way off the Island."

Melody turned her eyes upon Misty, and Ash had to blink a few times to register that he saw mischief in them. "Geeze, Misty! You just had to come chasing after your boyfriend didn't you?"

As expected, Misty's cheeks turned red and she exploded. "I've told you a thousand times before, he's not my boyfriend!"

"Well whats a girl to think when you talk about him more than Rudy?" Melody shot back, the mischief in her eyes growing.

Misty didn't have a reply, not for lack of trying. She opened her mouth and even raised her finger, but she paused as if what she was about to say frightened her. She hastily shot Ash a concerned look and then turned back to Melody. "We need to stop the Birds, do you think you can focus on what's important long enough to do that?"

Melody scoffed. "As long as you can keep yourself focused while your around Ash, then I can do my best."

"Maybe if-"

"Alright," Gary suddenly declared, stepping up beside Misty and glancing between the two women. "I've heard about enough of that as I can handle, Blastoise can carry us over to the boat, that's not nearly as far as Shamouti."

Blastoise grunted its agreement, even stomping its foot in the sand to enforce its point.

Serena quickly glanced between Gary, the two other women, and Ash, taking in each of their expressions. While Gary looked annoyed, and Melody entertained, Ash and Misty were like two sides of the same coin. Both looked equally embarrassed, but one was fuming and the other appeared shy. That settled it in her mind. There was something more going on between them, and each of them knew it too.

Suddenly, a song like roar erupted from the ocean, rippling the waves with its vibration. Melody staggered on the boat, almost loosing her grip on the reverse throttle. Pikachu stiffened on Ash's shoulder, digging his tiny nails into his jacket. Familiarity washed over Ash, and Gary even turned to him with wide eyes. It was the same sound the two of them heard the previous night.

"I think that's a sign we should get a move on," Brock offered, scanning the waves as if they'd hold the answer. Lightning flashed in the distance, followed by the epic clap of thunder.

"Agreed," Gary nodded. "Everyone load up. Blastoise is only making this trip once."

Serena watched Blastoise move into the shallows for a moment before turning her eyes to the Birds. Zapdos dodged an attack from Articuno, swooping low to the water and twisting away. Her mind reeled with information and questions. Why did everything have to happen at once? Why couldn't she have just kissed Ash back in Kalos and everything would've worked out how she'd always hoped?

That would've been too easy…

If that was one thing she'd learned in her life, it's that nothing worthwhile ever came easy. That was why after confessing to Ash, him having his own confession back, and her seeing that Misty did indeed return his feelings, she'd made up her mind. Once the current crisis was averted, Serena was going to do everything in her power to help Ash with his Misty situation. No matter how much it hurt.

He was her best friend, and he needed her support. Now more than ever.

* * *

 **And the Serena likes Ash, but he's too dense to see it even after she kissed him storyline comes to a close lol. Now if only Ash and Misty could get their BS together, we'd all be happy, right? ;)**

 **Not much action this chapter, I know a lot of people were expecting it to take off this time around, but we needed to wrap up part of Ash and Serena's story before that could happen. Lugia's coming closer! I now a lot of you are counting down the moments until its epic** **arrival. Trust me, I can't wait either!**

 **I hope everyone is enjoying 'The Power of One' so far. What do you all think of the characters? Believable growth? Drama? Thoughts and feelings? Does the story match their development well so far?**

 **As always, let me know what ya'll think!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry for the delay! Life's certainly been busy for a certain Author. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Professor! What can you tell us about the crazy weather reports flying in from around the globe?"

"What is the League doing to investigate this phenomenon?"

"Is it true the epicenter of this event is centered right here around Shamouti?"

Professor Oak raised his hand from the podium, indicating he would speak once the room of reporters simmered down. From the moment he walked into the dull press area they erupted into a string of questions, some in which he did have an answer for. A camera crew stood front and center, shining a light up on stage so they could better see him.

"The locals of Shamouti have generously granted me their resources to study this phenomenon," he said into a small microphone resting on the podium. "I have spent the last several hours inside the Weather Research Facility, on the phone with Professor Ivy on Valencia Island."

"What have you discovered, Professor?" a lone reporter shouted, causing a slight frown on Oak's face.

"Through unique calculations, and a little bit of guesswork and theorizing," Oak turned to face a large silver screen behind him, which lit up when he did so. "We have determined the epicenter of this phenomenon to indeed be centered between Shamouti and the Islands of Fire, Ice, and Lightning."

As he spoke, an overhead map of Shamouti and its surrounding Islands appeared on the screen. A river-like texture faded into view, snaking its way through the center of the Islands and branching off past each one.

"For years, scientists have debated about the existence of an underwater current that snakes its way around our planet. If we take this as true, then following a natural course of the current would put the source of its power right here beneath Shamouti. With the powers of Fire and Ice constantly at friction against one another, the underwater current would require Lightning to hold it together. This in turn, would keep the balance of our planet in check.

"If this were to somehow be disturbed, then the underwater current, or so called Beast of the Sea, would churn with energy and quite possibly flood our entire planet."

Water ripples wafted over the Islands from the underwater current, and Oak turned back to his audience. "Unfortunately, I have been unable to get into contact with anyone outside of the Orange Islands. Without any way of cross referencing Professor Ivy and I's data, we have zero factual results. All we can do is whether the storm and do everything in our power to help one another-"

He stopped when someone motioning to him from his left caught his eye. It was a security guard, and when he saw he had Oak's attention, he motioned beside him to Delia Ketchum. Her brown eyes were wide with worry, and her hands drawn up to her chest.

"Excuse me," Oak suddenly say to his audience, which caused a ruckus of questions to start flying his direction. He ignored them all, heading for the edge of the stage and stepping down the three stairs carefully.

Seeing the crowd of reporters coming closer and still shouting, the Security Officer motioned for both Oak and Delia to follow him through a door to the side of the stage. Once through, he shut it and latched it so they wouldn't be followed.

"Delia, what's wrong?" Oak asked.

"This woman said she had urgent news for you, Professor," the Guard cut in. "Should we continue to somewhere more private?"

"No, thank you," Oak said to him. "Would you give us a moment?"

The Guard nodded once and strode down the white brick hall. Oak turned back to the worried woman. "What happened?"

"Ash and his friends are in trouble," she said immediately. "They're caught in this storm and Dawn said the Legendary Birds are fighting amongst themselves."

"The Legendary Birds?" Oak repeated. "They've left their dens on the Islands?"

Delia nodded. "May and Tracey went with Dawn to help Ash and the others. They said the Birds are headed straight for here."

Oak's wrinkled face paled slightly and he swallowed. "So the legends are true…"

"Professor?"

His dark eyes flicked away as his brain traveled off on its own train of thought. "The Prophecy says when the Titans of Fire, Ice, and Lightning clash, Earth shall be wrought with destruction. I never put much stock into it…but with the weather patterns in complete disarray worldwide…"

Delia watched him mumble to himself until suddenly his head snapped up. "You said Ash was in the middle of this?"

She nodded worriedly.

"Good," Oak declared, suddenly walking down the hall. "Then we have a chance."

"Professor?" Delia asked, hurrying after him.

"We need to keep Shamouti safe," Oak said to her. "Ash and the others are the only ones who can stop this now."

* * *

She stumbled across the sand, earning a stressed 'Lup!' from the penguin Pokémon in her arms. Despite the ever growing cold, Dawn was starting to sweat. She'd practically ran halfway across the Island and back, and more than anything she wanted to stop and take a breather.

She knew she couldn't do that, however.

The booms and angry cawing of the Birds was only growing closer and fiercer. She desperately needed to get back to the Shrine and figure out a way to help the others. She hoped Gary made it across the ocean just fine…the waves were getting rougher.

May and Tracey's ragged breaths continued on behind her as she ran, a sign that they were just as determined as she was. Not once since they left Delia had any of them spoke, but words needed not be said. Each of them knew the stakes, having traveled with Ash before.

Finally, Dawn's eyes saw the Shrine, and she put more force into her steps. Taking two at a time, she jumped the first step of the stone staircase and rocketed up as fast as she could. Piplup jostled in her arms, clearly aggravated with the harsh motions. Clearing the last step, Dawn only made it a few more paces before she skid to a halt.

May and Tracey stopped beside her, both looking at her with confusion, until they too looked up to see what made Dawn stop. Standing beside the Shrine, with its back towards them, was a Slowking. It had its arms folded behind its back as it watched the Birds soaring through the sky. As if it sensed their presence, Slowking cocked its head back, eyeing them from the side.

"I wondered when you'd be coming back," Slowking spoke.

Dawn's brain hitched. "You can talk?"

"You're friend made it to Lightning Island," Slowking continued, ignoring her question. It turned away from them once again and motioned out to sea. "It seems they are on their way back now."

Forget that Slowking could talk, it said Gary made it to Lightning Island! Dawn, ignoring the jelly like feelings in her legs, broke into a sprint once again and ran up beside Slowking.

May and Tracey joined her, stopping on either side of Dawn and the Pokémon. High in the sky, Zapdos took a direct hit of flames, but managed to dodge an Ice Beam. It swooped around and struck Moltres with a blast of lightning. Even under the circumstances, Dawn couldn't help but find the way the Legendaries move entrancing. Majestic in their flight as they extended their wings to the fullest extents.

"This looks really bad," May commented, bringing a hand to her chest.

"I've never seen Pokémon fight with such aggression before," Tracey added, then turned to Slowking. "Do you know a way to stop them?"

"Only the Chosen One can bring harmony," Slowking replied. "Only he can right what is wrong."

"The Chosen One?" May questioned.

Slowking nodded and pointed to the tablet engraved into the Shrine. "Disturb not the harmony of Fire, Ice, or Lightning. Lest these Titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash," it sighed and then repeated, "the Chosen One is the only one who can bring harmony."

"The Chosen One…" Tracey pondered, casting his eyes back to the Birds. "Right what is wrong…could all this have something to do with what Melody told Ash last night?"

"Huh? That was just a story, right?" May asked. "A legend to attract Tourists?"

"I see them!" Dawn suddenly shouted, pointing out to sea. She'd been scanning the Islands for signs of the others, since Slowking said they were on their way back. "They're speeding this way!"

Almost halfway between Lightning Island and Shamouti was a small speedboat, rocketing across the surface of the water. It was too far for them to see clearly, but Dawn had a wild guess who was onboard.

Suddenly, a harsh blast of cold blew by. Whipping their hair so hard it stung against Dawn's cheeks.

"This is bad," Slowking mumbled, peering over the cliff face down to sea.

Dawn mimicked his actions, squinting a little as she did. Against the shoreline, a thick layer of ice began freezing the waves where they crashed. Before their very eyes, the layer of ice started expanding out to sea.

* * *

He smacked the palm of his hand to the top of his head, keeping his hat rooted firmly in place as harsh wind threatened to rip it off. Pikachu's fur bristled against his cheek as the mouse's tiny claws dug into his shoulder. Freezing salt water misted against his face with each wave that smashed against the front of their boat. Thunder and lightning cracked across the sky with deafening crashe, leading a light shower of rainfall.

Misty sat beside him, a fierce expression covering her face, never once taking her eyes off the warring Birds in the sky. To his astonishment, the yellow ribbon he'd tied to her wrist the previous night was still there, fluttering in the harsh wind. With all the excitement, he'd completely forgotten about it, and he was willing to bet Misty did too. It eased him a little to know she hadn't ripped it off and tossed it when she ran away. Despite what happened, he still meant the words behind his gift.

" _I still have your handkerchief. And your lure. Now you'll have something of mine when you start to miss traveling with me again."_

From the corner of his eye, he could see Serena across from them, her eyes flicking between him, Misty, and the Birds. Ash could feel her gaze every now and then, but he didn't look her way. Sure he'd straightened things out with her, but that didn't mean he still didn't feel weird about the whole situation. Better to concentrate on stopping the major threat for now.

Something heavy bumped against the boat, shuddering the hull beneath their rumps. Melody raised her head higher, squinting ahead at something Ash couldn't see. Another dull thump rocked the boat, and this time Brock voiced his concern. "Any idea what that is?"

"Giant Magikarp?" Gary joked. "Maybe gold ones at that."

"I don't think-"

"SHIT!" Melody suddenly screeched, and threw the boat into full reverse.

Ash was launched forward into Misty's back, his face pressing between her shoulder blades. Her perfume pierced its way deep into his nostrils. The same intoxicating aroma he smelled the previous night as they drew closer and closer…

Misty wasn't able to hold herself up either, and together the pair of them slipped onto the wooden flooring with a surprised cry and a crash. They slid all the way to the front of the boat, thumping against the wooden rise. Only when the boat came to a stop was Ash able to raise his head.

"Ash? Are you alright?" Came Misty's voice very close to his ear.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Pikachu?"

"PikaPika."

He went to push himself up, but her weight was now on top of him. She must've realized this because Misty started to squirm in an attempt to get up. After a moment they unraveled themselves from one another and caught each other's eye. Both faces were flushed, and Misty quickly looked away. Ignoring the stabbing in his heart, Ash reached up and gripped he railing so he could pull himself to his feet.

"I enjoy a good surprise as much as the next guy," Gary said from somewhere behind Ash as he rose to his full height. "But next time how about a little warning? I don't appreciate my face being thrown into another man's cro-"

"As if I wanted you there, Gary," Brock interrupted him with a groan.

"What did you see?" Serena must've asked towards Melody.

Ash didn't really hear any of that as he stared ahead with a blank stare, not even Misty's sudden gasp. Pikachu clambered up his side, resuming his perch on Ash's shoulder so he could see what had the pair of them so shocked. Ice. A solid sheet of ice spreading across the ocean before them, all the way up to the banks of Shamouti Island. And it was slowly expanding.

Smaller chunks of ice drifted by, thudding into the side of their boat. Pieces that must've been blasted loose from Moltres and Zapdos' attacks.

"What?" Gary asked to himself. "How is this possible? There's no way the ocean could be freezing like that…"

"I…I've never seen anything like it," Melody replied, her knuckles growing whiter as she gripped the throttles.

"How are we going to get back?" Serena asked.

No one had a reply. The Birds were growing nearer and nearer to Shamouti with each passing second, their attacks getting fiercer as their anger raged on. Their cries echoed across the sea of ice, prevalent over the roar of thunder.

Suddenly, a deep rumbling came from beneath them. A growl that hummed through the wood. Ash's fear level spiked from the sound, and he wasn't the only one to cry out in alarm when the ocean beside them erupted into a geyser of freezing cold water. A behemoth of a monster roared as the water fell away, revealing a large mouthed serpent.

"Gyarados!" Misty shouted. "Thank goodness you're alright!"

She ran to the edge of the boat, leaning against the railing as the large water type leaned over and let her rub on his scales. Ash inhaled and exhaled rapidly, desperately trying to gain controlling of his beating heart. Judging from the expressions of the others, and Pikachu's iron grip on his shoulder, so were they. Not realizing he had backed into the nearest seat and fallen into it, Ash stood back up and approached Misty.

"Could you ask him not to scare us like that again?!" He fumed, sounding angrier than he really was.

"Not if he can get that kind of reaction every time," Misty shot back, not even looking in Ash's direction. "Hey, Gyarados," she continued before Ash could retaliate. "Could you do us a favor?"

The Water dragon growled.

"Blast us a clear path straight for Shamouti!"

Gyarados roared violently, sending Ash back into the chair he just rose from. Then the mighty Pokémon reared back its head and faced the growing ice. With a boom, Gyarados launched a HyperBeam, carving a wide pathway of churning water and particles of ice.

"Well, that'll work," Melody said, her voice a little shaken. "Let's hurry!"

"Yeah, some of us need a change of underwear," Gary remarked, running a hand through his damp hair.

"Did you wet yourself?" Brock asked.

"Nah, but Serena's voice rose a couple more octaves than normal."

"I didn't pee myself!"

Melody throttled the boat forward, drowning out their conversation and roaring after Gyarados as it blasted another stretch of ice away.

"Good thinking, Misty," Ash shouted over the roar of the wind. "We might get there ahead of them now!"

"Let's hope," she said back, turning her eyes back onto the Birds. Moltres took a direct hit of Lightning from Zapdos and cawed angrily. "They going to cause a lot of damage if we can't stop them."

Her expression mirrored the worry and anxiety in his heart for all the people on the Island. His friends, his Mother, Misty's sisters, even Rudy and his family. Everyone was in danger, and they had to find some way to save them. Wanting to find a way to soothe Misty's own concern, Ash reached out a hand and gripped her shoulder firmly. She turned back to him, aquamarine eyes wide.

Wow were they beautiful…

"We will," he said. Sounding more confident than he felt. How did one look from her sap all his strength? "We'll find a way to stop them, and we'll keep everyone safe. I know for a fact there's nothing that can stop us when we're together."

Her eyes went wider, and one of her hands found its way on top of his. He could feel his heart drumming along in his chest, booming just as loud as the thunder above. Then she nodded with a small smile. "No, there isn't. We can do this."

Something deep inside him desperately wanted those words to mean something else, but he kept his mouth shut and eyes locked on hers for fear of what he would do otherwise. He could feel Serena's eyes on him, which only fueled the growing blush on his cheeks. Misty must've noticed, because she too suddenly blushed and then looked away. A warmth vanished the second her eyes left his, and he felt himself wishing for nothing more then for those beautiful orbs to turn back his way.

Suddenly they were, but they were filled with fear and urgency.

"DUCK!" She screamed, lurching forward and pushing him backwards. Once again, the pair and Pikachu toppled to the floor. The rest of the boats occupants shouted in alarm as something swooped directly overhead, bringing a wave of icy coldness with it and the sound of shattering glass.

Misty landed on Ash's chest, noses only an inch apart. Neither dwelled on the proximity, however, as both were immediately scrambling to sit up. Melody was ducked behind her controls, the window completely shattered and gone. Brock, Serena, and Gary were smooshed against the back seats as low as possible, watching as Articuno rose high back up into the air.

An angry caw pulled Ash's attention back to the front. They were much closer to Shamouti than before, and Zapdos was charging a bolt of lightning directly ahead of them. It blasted the attack for Articuno, but the Ice Bird dodged it, leaving it streaking straight for the boat.

"HOLD ON!" Melody roared, and jerked her wheel. They swerved and avoided the bolt of lightning, but then crashed right into the thick sheet of ice just as the attack detonated against the water.

Ash was once again knocked to the floor as the boat soared into the air. Misty was screaming, the others were screaming, Gyarados was roaring, and the wind was rushing by them as the boat hurtled high into the air and began plummeting back down to the ice. This time with no water below them.

Ash opened his mouth to scream as well, only a song like cry echoed up from the depths of the ocean itself. A soft glow pierced through the ice and snow, growing brighter and brighter until the ice exploded in a swirling vortex of water that rocketed straight for the boat. The water twisted and morphed, slowing itself just enough to catch the boat gently, though the impact still jostled the occupants.

Misty's fingers wrapped around Ash's arm as the tornado of water continued raging beneath them, but started to move across the ice. Shattering and splintering it like frail glass with each twist. They rocked back and forth as the water morphed around the boats edges, giving Ash an all new meaning to motion sickness. Pikachu moaned from his shoulder, tucking in his ears.

"Wh-wh-what is g-g-going on-n-n?!" Serena shouted, but received no answer, for almost as soon as she did the boat suddenly lurched forward.

The group screamed again as the boat sailed through the air, and they all grunted when it shuddered harshly from a hard impact. The sounds of splintering wood pierced their ears, as well as new screams from unrecognized voices. Snow poofed up around the sides of the boat, flurrying back down to the ground.

Everything suddenly stopped moving, and Ash found himself sitting up rather quickly as his stomach churned. He bolted for the railing, leaning over it and gagging once. Thankfully nothing came out, and his stomach settled just enough to keep him from retching. Misty's palms slapped against the railing beside him and she did the exact same thing.

"Ash?! Misty!"

The shout was familiar, yet uncertain, causing Ash to look up. They had landed a few feet behind the Shamouti Shrine, and he could see the water twister swaying just beyond the cliff face. Directly beside the Shrine stood Dawn holding Piplup, May, Tracey, and a Slowking looking equally shocked at the sudden arrival. With another song like roar, the water twister slowed its rotation and collapsed in on itself, dissipating back into the stretch of water it created among the ice.

"Ash?!" Dawn said again, running forward to the boat.

"Next time, let's take the expressway instead," Gary murmured through grit teeth as he crawled up the side of the boat, leaning against the railing.

"Agreed," Brock nodded from his place on the floor.

Ash cast a glance to each of them, taking in their queasy appearances. Gary extended a hand and helped Brock up, while Serena pulled herself onto one of the rear seats and pushed hair from her face. Melody continued gripping the controls deathly tight, awe frozen on her face.

"Is everyone alright?" Dawn asked as she reached the side of the boat, peering up to Ash and Misty. May and Tracey weren't far behind.

"I think so-" Misty started to say, but was cut off by another angry Bird caw. Heads snapped up as the trio of Birds were swooping after one another, coming closer and closer at an alarming speed. Lightning, Fire, and Ice attacks detonated against one another, with some hitting their marks.

Gripping the railing, Ash ground his teeth together and hauled himself over the side. Pikachu's claws dug into his shoulder from the sudden motion, but the mouse stayed on. His feet cut through the snow, connecting with the stone underneath, and Ash broke into a run. He ran past the others, ran past the Slowking and the Shrine, coming to a stop at the edge of the cliff. He threw his arms out wide, shouting up to the Birds, "Cut it out!"

They didn't seem to hear, continuing on their path for the Shrine. Three stray attacks launched away from the others, beelining right for him.

"Ash!" Misty and Serena called together.

Like a sonic boom, the ocean erupted into another geyser, intercepting the three attacks before they could hit their mark. The blast wave was enough to cause Ash to close his eyes, knock him to his rear, and cause Pikachu to plop into the snow.

He groaned, but the same song like roar came louder than before, drowning him out. Collective gasps rang out behind him, causing him to snap open his eyes. Hovering before them, between Ash and the Birds, was another birdlike Pokemon with a long neck and sleek silver and blue feathers. Large wings flapped at its side, ruffling Ash's hat with each beat.

"The Great Guardian," Slowking said in awe. "Lugia!"

"Lugia?" Tracey repeated.

The Legendary Lugia sang, its song like voice reverberating off the rocks, off the frozen ocean, humming deep down inside Ash's chest. The sound was soothing, calming his very fast beating heart. Moltres, Articuno, and Zapdos stalled their flight momentarily, looking upon the new arrival. Time slowed to a blur as the four Legendaries stared at one another. Despite the situation, the scene was jaw dropping.

Each Legendary had power and elegance unique only to it. The way space morphed around Moltres' heat, the way particles froze solid beside Articuno, the way static fizzled in the air currents wafting by Zapdos, and the glistening rays of light somehow shimmering from Lugia's sleek feathers brought together a painting the likes any of them would never dreamed of seeing.

Then Articuno attacked. Lugia dodged the Ice Beam, twirling high above with a rapid spin. Cold blasted by Ash and the others, smashing into the palm trees behind the Shrine and freezing them solid. Frost formed on the fringes of Ash's hair from the sheer closeness of the attack.

Moltres and Zapdos cawed and launched their own attacks, which Lugia dodged with another few twirls before diving back down into the ocean. It crashed through the barrier of ice, spinning down into the water. The newly opened hole churned like a monsoon, and then a twister of water erupted high, striking against Zapdos and Articuno. They screeched in pain as they deflected off it, spinning away before regaining their flight patterns.

A roar from out to sea interrupted the fight, soon followed by a HyperBeam that narrowly missed Articuno. Gyarados apparently had grown tired of watching, and decided to end the fighting itself. The Titan of Ice refocused its eye on Gyarados, and swooped low. Misty shouted in alarm, ran a few steps forward, and cupped her hands to her mouth. "Dive, Gyarados!"

The Water Pokemon obliged, giving Articuno one last roar before vanishing below the waves just as an Ice Beam collided with them. The open part of the sea froze over, cutting Gyarados off from returning to the surface.

Lugia broke from its twister of water, body slamming into Articuno. The Ice Bird bounced off the frozen ocean before rising back up into the air. Moltres and Zapdos swooped down, launching attacks in an attempt to hit either Lugia or Articuno.

"This is bad," Melody said, rising from the drivers seat in her boat.

"We have to do something," May added. "They're really going to hurt each other if they dont stop."

"But what can we do against Legendary Pokémon?" Tracey asked.

"Some of us have faced off against Legendaries before," Dawn said. "There's always something we can do!"

"Maybe," Brock mumbled. "This feels a lot different than those times."

"How so? We stopped Palkia and Dialga from fighting with music, maybe we could do something similar here?"

Melody frowned at Dawn's words, her eyes traveling down. "Music…"

"It's in the air," Brock said. "Like there's a static, or a charge. I don't know, but there's definitely something different about this time."

"I agree," Serena nodded. "Those Birds are-"

She stopped when Slowking suddenly stepped forward. This caused a chain reaction of everyone else to look at the Pokémon as it sidestepped Misty. She looked down at the Pokémon with curiosity as it approached Ash.

Pikachu had shuffled back up to Ash's side as the pair watched the Birds fight with Lugia. His rear was growing colder from the snow, not that he was really noticing. Thought after thought raced through his mind. Ideas on what to do, suggestions on how to intervene and put a stop to the fighting. There had to be something he could do!

"So, you're Ash?"

He jumped at the sudden voice in his ear, and twisted his back to see. The Slowking was much closer to him than he realized, and he nearly gasped aloud.

"You can talk? Wait, how do you my name?"

"I assume you have the Treasures," Slowking said, seeing the bulges in Ash's coat pockets. "That's good. Follow me."

It turned on the spot and shuffled through the snow back over to the Shrine. Ash's brown eyes followed the Slowking, blinking in his confusion.

"Pikapi." There was a nudge on his back, and Ash craned his neck around. Pikachu pushed once more with his tiny paws, perking his ears up when Ash looked. "Pika Pikachu."

"Alright," Ash nodded, looking forward again and rising to his feet. Honestly, in all the chaos, he'd completely forgotten about the Treasures. It seemed like so long ago that he was boarding Melody's boat to go retrieve them for the Festival. Wonder why Slowking wanted to know if he had them?

Each pair of eyes watched as Ash approached Slowking and the Shrine. Some confused, others curious, but a few with suspicion. As if they were piecing together a clue Ash had yet to see. The boom from attacks colliding in the sky reverberated down.

When Ash was a few feet away, Slowking motioned to him and then to the Shrine. "Take the Treasures, and put them there."

Blinking at the Pokémon again, Ash fished the Fire and Lightning Orbs from his pockets. Just like the last times he held them, a deep flow ignited within, illuminating his hands with soft red and yellow glows. A collective gasp rang out among their group.

"They're…glowing?" May questioned curiously.

"I…I've never seen them do that before," Melody awed, taking a step away from her drivers seat to lean over the railing.

"The Fire Orb did that earlier," Serena said, putting a finger to her chin. "When we were being captured by that Collector."

"And Ash was holding it too," Misty added.

Fading away from the group's conversation as Gary said something, Ash looked down at the two Orbs in his hands. It was as if something deep within him sparked to life with the flickering glows of the Treasures. He couldn't explain it, but it was almost like the Orbs were trying to tell him something.

Looking up, Ash examined the Shrine, taking a step closer to peer down into the carved out cavity. The three stone windows at the back perfectly framed Fire, Ice, and Lightning Islands within them. Three small pedestals sat at their base, shaped like they should be holding a spherical object.

Frowning a little, Ash reached inside and set the Fire Orb down in front of the window showcasing its respective Island.

"Fire Island."

Then he did the same with the Lightning Orb.

"Lightning Island."

Next up was Ice, but as his eyes landed on the empty pedestal and gazed beyond towards the Island, Slowking's voice sounded right next to his ear. "You're one Treasure Short."

"GWAH!" Ash barked, jumping to the side with his arms raised.

A loud detonation drowned out his shout, however, as Fire and Ice collided with an orange beam of light shot by Lugia. Lugia cried out in pain as Zapdos landed a direct hit, and the Legendary wobbled in the air. Seeing their moment, Moltres and Articuno each struck Lugia with attacks of their own. Lugia faltered even more, but somehow managed to keep its flight and soar away from the next onslaught of attacks.

"This is bad," Gary said. "Lugia won't last much longer on its own."

"But what are we supposed to do?" Tracey asked, looking up to Gary's figure on the boat.

"Disturb not the harmony of Fire, Ice, or Lightning. Lest these Titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash," Melody recited. She gripped the railing of her boat and leaped over the side. She thudded into the snow and started for the Shrine and Slowking. "Though the Water's Great Guardian shall arise to quell the fighting, alone its song will fail, thus the Earth shall turn to ash….the Prophecy is coming true?"

She stopped directly before the words inscribed upon the stone, her eyes narrowing as she read over them.

"So, there isn't any hope then?" May asked, sharing a worried look with Dawn.

"There is only one hope," Slowking said, grabbing everyone's attention. "Only the Chosen One can help the Water's Great Guardian."

Melody turned her eyes back upon the Shrine, "O' Chosen One…into thine hands bring together all three, their Treasures combined tame the Beast of the Sea…"

"The Chosen One?" Brock quizzed, casting a glance to the warring Birds. Then he flailed his arms. "LOOK OUT!"

Ash jerked his eyesight up, flinching as Zapdos zoomed by much too close for comfort. The static electricity from its body sparked across the ground and rocks, frizzing the groups' hair. Flames licked after the Bird, melting the top layer of snow and wetting the soles of their shoes. Moltres cawed loudly, swooping after Zapdos. Lugia struck Articuno with a direct hit of orange energy, making the Bird cry out in anger. The fighting was now directly above them.

Zapdos veered off suddenly, dodging Moltres and heading straight for Lugia. It discharged an area wide attack of lightning, striking both Lugia and Articuno. Moltres swooped around and joined in, scorching a row of flames across Lugia's back. Before it could recover, Articuno did first, and body slammed straight into Lugia's chest. This was enough to knock the Legendary from the sky, and Lugia plummeted. It didn't extend its wings or do anything to slow its fall, and with a sickening crack, it smashed through the layer of ice above the ocean. Vanishing below.

Immediately turning on one another again, Articuno blasted an Ice Beam after Zapdos. The Birds swooped and dodged, now flying away from the Shrine and headed for the center of Shamouti. Ash stared in shock at the place Lugia crashed into the ocean. It had lost…just like the Prophecy said it would. What were they supposed to do now?

"Alright then," Gary practically shouted. "I think it's time we find this Chosen One if that's what's going to help."

"But how are we even going to find the Chosen One if we don't even know where to look?" May countered.

"Yeah, they could be anywhere in the world," Dawn added. Piplup nodded in her arms gloomily.

"And that means we shouldn't look?" Gary shot back. "What a great plan that is!"

"As if running around like Doduo's with our heads cut off is any better!"

Ash listened to them all bicker back and forth. His eyes still trained on the spot Lugia vanished. Their voices were muffled against his ears, distant and hollow. How could something so majestic and powerful as Lugia fall? Sure he'd seen many Legendary Pokémon defeated over his years, but almost always that was by some bad person cheating to win. Never before had they lost when it mattered. When the world needed them most. And what was he supposed to do? He hated himself for not being able to do anything at all! Lugia had needed his help, their help! And all they could do was watch from below as one Pokémon fought against three.

It wasn't until Misty gasped aloud that he came back to reality. He looked to her, finding her orange hair among the crowd of friends. She had moved closer to the Shrine, like she'd been studying it closely. A wide eyed stare occupied her face, as if she'd been told the most revealing secret. Her aquamarine eyes traveled over to Ash, meeting his brown stare with so much surprise.

"It's right in the Legend," she said, continuing to stare at him. "The Earth shall turn to Ash."

Silence rang out among them as her words sank into their craniums. He blinked at Misty a couple times before pointing to himself. "Me?"

Serena then gasped. "Ash…it's talking about you."

"I'm the…" he hesitated. "Chosen One?"

That couldn't be right. He wasn't some Chosen Hero born to save the day. He was Ash Ketchum, aspiring Pokemon Master. An ordinary kid from Pallet Town, with a hard head and brash streak. Sure, he'd helped out Legendary Pokémon before, but this was something way out of his league.

He looked from Serena to his other friends, each one staring back with dawning morphing across their expressions.

"Those Orbs were glowing in your hands," Gary mused. "The Prophecy does say the Chosen One has to gather the three Treasures."

"And Melody said they'd never glowed before," Brock added.

"They haven't," she confirmed, not taking her eyes off Ash. Staring at him like he were the craziest thing she'd ever seen.

As their stares bore down into him, Ash could feel his spine beginning to tingle. "W-w-Wait a minute," he took a few steps back. "Training Pokémon is tough enough, but saving the world is way too hard."

He hadn't meant for it to, but his voice shook with each tone.

"You've done it before," Dawn told him gently.

"Lots of times," May added with a nod.

"You've saved Celebi and Alto Mare," Brock continued.

"Diancie too," Serena smiled at him.

"Don't forget Arceus," Dawn added.

"Yeah…" Ash couldn't take their looks drilling into his soul. Pleading with him to do the impossible. He looked down, hiding his face behind the bill of his hat. "But none of those times were like this…"

"No, they weren't."

Maybe because he hadn't been expecting anyone to agree with him, or maybe because it was Misty's voice, but Ash couldn't help looking back up as his eyes started growing hot.

She was staring at him, but not like the others. There was no expectations, no sympathy, no remembrance, just a lone gentle smile. One by one she took a step closer to him, to which he found he wasn't backing away like he wanted too.

"This time is totally different," Misty continued. "Like Brock said, we can feel it in the air. The world is ending, and that's scary."

Leave it to Misty not to sugarcoat anything.

"But that only means I know you can do it. I've…" she stopped in front of him, turning her eyes back to the others for a moment. "We've, all seen you do the impossible countless times. I know it's overwhelming, but you are the only one who can stop this. And that's why I know you will. You're Ash Ketchum. It's what you do."

Her little speech penetrated deep within his heart. Her eyes chipping away at the sudden fear that had consumed him when Lugia went down.

"But…But what if I mess up…what if I…."

His voice choked as a few tears escaped the corner of his eyes, and he ducked his head again.

"You can do it, Ash," came Serena's gentle voice. Her tone was so encouraging, so determined, that he looked up. Each of his friends were giving him the same confident look as her. The same sparkle of trust behind their eyes. Even Gary, who normally would look for any excuse to tease Ash, wore the same face of encouragement as the others.

"We all know you can," Dawn added.

"That's right," Brock nodded.

Five distinct pops erupted from Ash's waistline, followed by bright flashes of light. Materializing around him, Charizard, Greninja, Bayleaf, Buizel, and Tauros all called out to him with encouraging cries of their own.

Ash, overwhelmed by the sheer confidence radiating his way, looked between each of his Pokémon. "You all too?"

They nodded at him, and he felt a soft tug on his pant leg. Looking down, he was greeted with Pikachu's determined stare. "Pika, Chu Pika, Pikapi!"

Once again, Ash had to hide his face, but this time for a different reason. Between winning the Kalos League, Serena and Misty's emotions towards him, seeing old friends, and now all this, Ash's heart was beating wilder than it had ever before. Fluttering and pounding against his chest, creating a rhythm unique only to the Chosen One. A fuel, a fire, a spark quickly turning into thousands of tiny shocks to his system. No one else on the planet had a support system like he did….to which he could never be thankful enough for.

A few tears trickled down his cheeks, and Misty slowly reached out. She wiped them away with one hand, and pushed his hat back just enough to see his eyes. When they met, all the beating, all the rhythm in his chest ceased. Stopped by the beautiful eyes of the woman who had captured his heart.

"Yeah," he gulped and nodded, finding his resolve. His strength surging back. "I can do it. I'm the Chosen One!"

"There's the Ash I know," Misty said. "Now lets put a stop to all of this!"

"Right then," Gary said loudly. "We need a plan."

"Stop the Birds and save the world," Dawn quipped. "Easy as pie."

"We must help the Great Guardian first," Slowking broke in, surprising everyone with the knowledge that it was still there.

"But it fell into the ocean," Melody said. "How do we do that?"

"You have the means to restore strength," Slowking told her, folding his arms behind his back.

"I do?"

"Lugia's song," Slowking nodded. "Handed down to you through generations."

"Lugia's song…." Melody trailed off. "Wait, seriously?"

The others looked to her curiously. "Know what he's blabbering on about?" Gary asked, folding his arms.

"I have an idea," she said, turning to face him. She looked up him on the boat and added, "underneath my console, their should be a bag. Grab that for me."

Gary blinked and turned around to see. Brock had already moved across the boat and bent down beneath the drivers console. He reached in for something and produced a small brown leather bag. With a fluid motion, he tossed it over to Gary, who caught it and leaned over to hand it down to Melody.

She snatched the bag and flipped it open, shoving her hand inside. The others continued to watch her movements, leaning closer to see what she was doing. When she produced the same Ocarina she'd played the night before, Gary frowned. "That's supposed to help us?"

"Lugia's song?" Melody asked Slowking, ignoring Gary. The Pokémon nodded.

Taking a deep breath, Melody put the Ocarina to her lips and started to play. The same tune she'd played the night before greeted their ears. That soothing, peaceful melody calming the anxiety boiling in Ash's gut. The song seemed to have an effect on everyone, as he noticed each of them seemed just a little more relaxed than before. Even his Pokémon felt more at peace.

She continued to play, her fingers dancing over the holes on the shell, until a songlike cry rang out from the ocean. He hadn't noticed it before, but the cry was eerily similar to the tune Melody had been playing. Ash whipped around, peering over the Shrine's edge down below. The water from where Lugia crashed churned and danced. Then, with an eruption of sky high water, the Legendary burst from the depths, spreading its wings and soaring into the sky.

It swooped around, spotting the group watching with awe before it flew down and hovered just beyond the Shrine's edge. This close to the Legendary, Ash could feel its power radiating from within. A Beast of the Sea indeed.

"The song has restored my strength, thank you."

Ash had met many talking Pokémon, but for some reason, hearing Lugia speak sent chills up his spine. Not bad chills, they resembled the tingle of excitement.

"Chosen One," Lugia turned its eyes onto Ash. "I sense doubt in your heart."

Even though the others filled him with the confidence he needed, it was still hard to block out all the fear of failing the world.

"There's a lot of pressure," he replied. "And the Legendary Birds aren't exactly helping."

"Indeed," Lugia nodded its big head. "Though you have done well so far."

"I don't know about that."

Hearing the doubt laced in his voice, Lugia gave him a knowing look. "No path is set in stone. No destiny is required. You must go only where your heart leads. The choices you make in life are yours, and yours alone, Chosen One."

Ash froze. Had Lugia sensed the battle raging in his heart? His feelings for Misty? His doubts about being the Chosen One? He cast a sideways glance at the red head beside him, taking in her silhouette as she looked up to Lugia with awe. When he turned back to the Legendary, it was plain as day Lugia had multiple meanings behind those words.

He swallowed. "Right, So then I have to get the Ice Treasure?"

"Only in your hands will the Treasure glow like the others, its power awakened," Lugia explained. "Only then will their powers harmonize with my song, and calm both the beasts above and below the sea. But this can only come to pass with the help of you, Chosen One."

Ash swallowed again. Hard. A trickle of fear laced its way back into his heart, but with the encouragement and confidence of all his friends behind him, it wasn't going to stop him. The world needed saving, and if he was the only one who could do it, then that's what he would do!

"Okay," Ash clenched his fists, turning to face Ice Island. "Then I'm going."

He was done being afraid. Done worrying about what would happen. Sometimes, he could be incredibly dense, even he had to agree with that. But these last few days had shone a light on many things in his life. His feelings for Misty, his wavering confidence, his lack of understanding his friends and their feelings. All of it was a thing of the past. From this moment on, Ash Ketchum was no longer a brash kid running blindly towards his goals.

"Ash-" Misty started to say, but a loud, resounding ping rang out from across the ocean. A flash of light erupted from Lightning Island, and four metal objects were spinning rapidly there direction.

They beelined straight for Lugia, and the Legendary soared up high with a gust of wind. It did no good, however, as the spinning objects slowed enough for Ash to see they were ring shaped. They surrounded Lugia and constricted together tightly, sparking static electricity between them. Lugia cried out in alarm and pain as the rings suddenly soared back towards Lightning Island.

"Lugia!" Ash shouted, running to the edge of the cliff. His Pokémon followed him, appearing just as alarmed as him.

"That has to be the Collector!" Brock yelled, gripping the railing on the boat tight.

"What do we do?" Dawn asked, pulling Piplup closer.

Something boomed from the middle of Shamouti, followed by many muffled screams of terror.

"Oh no!" May and Serena gasped.

"Alright, guys, listen up," Gary shouted, corralling their attentions. "We need to split up. Some of us need to go save Lugia, the rest have to get back into town and defend it from the Birds while Ash goes after the last Treasure."

"I'll go after Lugia," Misty declared, her face seething with rage.

"I'll go with you," Brock said, leaping over the railing of the boat.

"What about Ash?" Serena asked. "He can't go alone to Ice Island."

"I'll go with him," May stepped forward. "If we encounter an obstacle of Ice, maybe Blaziken and Charizard can melt it together."

"Then the rest of us need to get back into town, quick," Gary said. "Except Melody."

She appeared taken back by suddenly being excluded. "What!? I-"

"You need to be here when Ash comes back," Gary raised a finger. "Harmonizing Lugia's song with the Treasures and all that."

She looked down to her Ocarina, staring at it for a moment before gripping it tight and nodding.

"The rest of us, let's get going!"

Gary jumped off the boat, slipping on the snow a little before starting a sprint back towards town.

"Let's go, Dawn," Tracey said.

"Right!"

"Piplup!"

Tracey and the bluenette broke into a run after Gary, their feet crunching in the snow. Serena looked at a loss, her head snapping back and forth between the running figures and Ash.

"Serena," Brock said. "Come with us, we could use all the firepower we can get."

Misty cast him a curious stare with a frown, before sighing to herself and nodding. "He's right. We don't know what the Collector will have waiting."

Serena looked between them and Ash a couple more times before knitting her brow and nodding. "Right."

Everything was suddenly happening at a much faster pace than Ash could keep up with. His head snapped back and forth between all speaking parties, and suddenly, Misty was hugging him tight. A deep heat erupted in his cheeks, and he glanced down at the top of her head. "Misty?"

"Don't do anything stupid," she said with her angry Misty tone. "I expect you to be back at one hundred percent health when I arrive with Lugia. Got that?!"

She pulled away from him, leaving a warmth to be desired against his chest. Her eyes flared at him, daring him to disagree with her.

Thunder boomed overhead.

His eyes flicked from hers, down to her lips.

He recalled the softness and warmth of them against his…

More thunder.

"No time to waste," Brock shouted, grabbing Misty by the shoulder. "Let's go!"

Ash was snapped from his stupor, nearly toppling forward from some strange momentum. Had he been inching closer to her?!

Brock shot him an apologetic look before turning away and sprinting for the edge of the Shrine. "Steelix! Let's go!"

He tossed a PokeBall, and with a mighty roar, the metal snake emerged against the cliffside. Brock climbed on, followed by Misty, and then Serena. Both girls cast glances back at Ash over their shoulders, mirroring the same expression. Worry. Not knowing what else to do, Ash shot them a thumbs up and his usual crooked smile. That seemed to do the trick, as they each nodded and turned away.

"Take us to that Island, Steelix!" Brock pointed ahead, and with another mighty roar, Steelix lowered flat against the thick layers of ice and took off like a metal bullet. Snow flurried behind them, and the ice cracked, but did not break away.

Ash watched them go for a moment, then turned back to May, "Guess that means we-" she was looking at him with wide eyes and her mouth falling open. "What?"

Realizing what she was doing, she shook her head and shot Melody a strange look before speaking. "Oh, nothing. We'll worry about it later. Let's get going!"

Ash blinked a few times as May hurried over to the stone steps down to the frozen beach.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted, sprinting after May. That jolted Ash into action and he turned to his ensemble of Pokémon. "Return."

One by one he returned them, stopping when he got to Tauros. The Bull snorted and tilted its head curiously.

"You know, I have an idea," Ash said. "Follow me!"

Tauros mooed and took off after Ash as the man ran after May and Pikachu. He slipped in the snow near the steps, but caught himself and hurried down after them. Melody and Slowking watched them go, her gripping the Ocarina tighter and tighter as a series of cold winds rushed by.

"Good luck," she whispered. "All of you."

Beside her, Slowking sighed. "I could use pants."

* * *

"I see it!" Bonnie shouted, jumping up and down. "I see a dock!"

"Where?" The Rocket Trio said in unison and shoved past her out of the frozen shrubbery.

"Hey! Don't be so rude!"

"Where do you see it, Bonnie?" Clemont asked, pushing aside an ice coated branch and stepping onto the beach.

"Over there," she said, pointing to the left. "There's a boat on it too!"

Clemont adjusted his glasses, squinting in the dim light to better see. Sure enough, about three hundred feet away, was a lone pier with a single speedboat.

"Come on!" Bonnie shouted. "The others will be waiting for us!"

Like a rocket, Bonnie bolted away in a yellow blur. Team Rocket shouted something about waiting up and raced after her, leaving Clemont to sigh and do his best to keep pace. Many ragged breaths later, he was stepping onto the wooden steps and leaving the frozen sand behind. Sweating profusely, he removed his glasses to wipe away the fog from his body heat as he walked over to the boat where Bonnie and Team Rocket stood.

"Dis ain't good," Meowth said to the group.

"It's like we stepped into a giant deep freeze," James added.

Putting his glasses back on, Clemont blinked and started to ask, "What's not good?"

He stopped when he got near the boat beside Bonnie and looked down at what she was peering at. The water below the dock was freezing before their eyes. A layer of ice stretching out to sea and going as far as the horizon. Clemont's mouth fell open. "That…that shouldn't be possible."

"There's been a lot of that today, Twerp," Jesse barked. "Now what are we going to do?"

"Could we walk back to the others now?" Bonnie asked innocently.

"That'd be a really long walk," Clemont told her. "We wouldn't get there in time."

"So what _are_ we going to do, Brother?"

He didn't verbally reply, going over every possible solution in his mind. His blue eyes scanned the frozen sea, traveling back to the boat. It was a small speedboat, built roughly for the size of four people, but something in the back caught his attention.

"That's it!"

"Hmmm?" The Rocket Trio hummed. "What's it?" Jesse added.

"The future is now thanks to science!" Clemont sang, reaching into his pack, and producing a large box that he folded out until it resembled a standing fan. "We can glide across the ice with this!"

Jesse, James, Meowth, and Bonnie all deflated to flat expressions. "Say again?" James asked.

"We'll use the emergency raft in the speedboat," Clemont said, motioning to the folded up orange container in the back. "With this High Speed Super Fan, we'll glide across the ice and reach the others in no time!"

Bonnie lit up. "That's brilliant!"

"Indeed," Clemont nodded. "Help me get it out of the boat!"

* * *

 **And were off to the races! Everyone has a goal now, and a somewhat clear path. I hope everyone is still enjoying the tease of PokeShipping :p**

 **The ride keeps getting wilder, doesn't it? As always, let me know what ya'll think!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Apologies for such a long delay between updates this time around. There has just been SO much going on, it's ridiculous. BUT :) I finally got this chapter done, so enjoy!**

* * *

The putrid smell of hot metal and smoke burned his nostrils. Fire flickered somewhere he couldn't see, accompanied by the moan and groan of a large, shifting structure. Something thick trickled down the side of his temple, dripping away from his brow. Reaching a hand up to wipe it away, he found his own blood coating his fingers. A growl escaped his chest as Lawrence pushed himself into a sitting position. Stormy skies hovered above him, thunder rippling through the gashes and tears in the roof of his building. His crumpled building, anyway. Zapdos and Moltres had done a number to his electrical systems, shorting everything out to the point he had no control and his only choice was to crash land on Lightning Island.

He stumbled to his feet, gripping a large chunk of bent metal for support. Slowly, he made his way through the wreckage of his once beautiful ship. He slipped a little on some snow and broken glass, paying no heed to his misfortune. No, there was something that had captured his full attention.

Far in the distance, the sounds of fighting between the Birds raged on. But there was a new sound. One in which he'd been anticipating since the start. He rounded a large stack of debris and came upon a cliff face overlooking the ocean. Shamouti Island rose up among the stormy sky, but flying in circles around one another was the Legendary Birds. And with them, his prize! Lugia.

Those kids had cost him quite a lot, but if he could find a working electrical canon of his, then perhaps not all was lost. He could still achieve the very goal he'd set out to do.

* * *

Gary sprinted across the sand, his feet dragging heavily with each step. Curse those stupid Birds and their fighting. Not that he was out of shape, but having to sprint an entire Island across sand in the freezing cold was not what he planned to do over his weekend on Shamouti. This was supposed to have been relaxing. Spend some time on the beach, catch a rare Vaporeon, check out some girls, and attend a wedding. Maybe even tell Dawn how he felt. Well, check for one of those things at least.

He took a side glance at the bluenette running beside him. Piplup bounced around in her grip with each step she took, all the while her blue eyes burned with a fierce determination. If he was honest, he loved that look on her. She was never more beautiful than when she radiated confidence. Of course, this time there was worry and anxiety mixed into her expression. Despite that, there was no one else he'd rather have running by his side to save the day. He'd seen her in action during their adventures in Sinnoh, and it was safe to say she'd picked up a thing or two from Ash.

Gary shook his head. Did he really just credit Ash for teaching someone how to be strong? The world must really be coming to an end.

They rounded a bend in the beach, and just as the tops of buildings came into view, an explosion rang out from deep within the town. Smoke and flames flew into the sky, followed by angry caws as the Legendary Birds soared over the rooftops. Screams erupted amidst the sounds of chaos.

"That's not good!" Tracey called from behind Gary. "We need to pick up the pace."

"Yeah, it's not like the Birds have an advantage over us, like flight," Gary shot back, putting more effort into his legs anyway.

"Maybe we should've just hitched a ride from all the hot air in your head, WiseOak" Dawn quipped, shooting Gary a smug look.

"Now's not the time, Sparkles," he retorted. "Focus on getting to those Birds."

Tracey glanced between the two curiously, which they did not see. Only Piplup, who was too busy turning a shade of green from all the jolting to really acknowledge what Tracey had seen.

The group traded sand for concrete as they bolted onto a sidewalk and then onto pavement. Masses of people were swarming to get out of town, gathering on the beach to avoid attacks and debris from the battle raging overhead. Gary headed for the heart of town, swerving and bypassing people running the opposite direction. Zapdos soared by overhead, its static prickling the hairs on his arms. Quickly, he snapped back and grabbed a PokeBall.

"Alright, Scizor. Time to get to work!" He flung the ball high and it snapped open with a pop and a flash. The metal coated bug cried out to him as it materialized in the air. "Do what you can to distract those three," Gary called to it. "Keep their attacks directed up high, away from the people below."

Scizor acknowledged him, and then zoom high above the short building tops, vanishing from view.

"Tracey," Gary said, coming to a stop. "Use Marill's keen hearing to locate Gramps."

"Right," Tracey nodded, unclipping his PokeBall and clicking the release.

In the flash, a bright blue mouse materialized with a cry of alarm as groups of fleeing locals and tourists raced by.

"Dawn," Gary turned to her as Tracey spoke to his Pokemon. Her blue eyes flicked up to him, locking with his dark ones. He'd be lying if he denied that his heart missed a beat in its usual rhythm. "Use you're Pokemon here. This is the main road out of the town. See if you can't get everyone to move a little more organized to avoid accidentally hurting each other."

"Can do!" she replied, placing Piplup on her shoulder. Who looked visibly relieved to not be jerked around anymore.

With three flashes of light, Dawn's Mamoswine, Quilava, and Togekiss appeared in the center of the road. People immediately stopped to prevent themselves from running into the three Pokemon, or swerved around and continued their sprint out of town.

"Everyone!" Dawn started shouting, raising her arms high to be better seen. It was a noble attempt for such a short girl. "Please form a line! We have to be safe while getting to safety."

Her Pokemon fanned out, using their size and cries to gather people's attention. Gary watched them work for only a moment before Moltres zoomed by overhead with Articuno hot on its tracks. Fire and ice exploded above them, cracking glass from windows and raining the debris down towards the crowd. Screams erupted.

"Use Reflect!" Gary shouted, tossing forth another PokeBall.

A black canine shaped figure materialized, with yellow spots and rings around its legs, tail, and ears. Red eyes flashed as the Reflect move came to life, deflecting the glass and other debris aside. Dawn's voice and Pokemon were suddenly much louder over the people, and they began to file towards the beach in a much more organized line.

"Good job, Umbreon," Gary commented to his Pokemon.

Marill suddenly perked up, tugging at Tracey's pants and pointing towards the center of town. "Gary!" he called. "Marill found them!"

"Lead the way," Gary said back, turning his eyes over to the bluenette in the middle of the street. "Dawn!"

Her blue eyes swiveled up, locking with his dark pair. For a moment, the screams and angry caws of the Legendaries faded from Gary's ears. Somehow muffled within the intense stare Dawn was sending his way. He recalled the first time she ever looked at him that way, back when they saved that Ursaring from those poachers in Sinnoh. Hell, even when she walked on stage during her contests, that same look adorned her features. Determination. A fire flickering deep within her to do her best and to not fail.

His lips formed into his usual smirk, and he shot her a thumbs up. "You got this!"

It wasn't a statement, nor a question. Simply a truth he recognized to be her.

She gave him the same smirk back, and nodded. "Go help the others!"

Then she turned back to the crowd and started shouting instructions once again. Deep down, Gary might've been a little jealous Ash got to journey and spend so much time with her. But even he had to admit, she learned a lot from the man. Despite how dopey he could be sometimes.

Not wasting anymore time, Gary took off after Tracey and Marill, with his Umbreon running alongside him. The small group bobbed and weaved through the fleeing crowd, which was thinning deeper into town they ran. Large shadows of the Birds flittered by, swiftly followed by their cries and blasts of detonating attacks. More glass and metal crunched somewhere Gary couldn't see, but as long as no one was in immediate danger he shoved the sounds aside. Focusing only on following Tracey and Marill to his Grandfather. And hopefully the others too.

Marill's tail suddenly twitched, and as they rounded the corner, Gary got sight of his Grandfather standing in the middle of the street behind a burly Nidoking. Moltres was swooping straight down into the city, following closely behind Zapdos. Gary's Scizor followed the pair, crying out to them in an attempt to get their attention. The static from the Electric Bird sparked and cracked against the buildings, shattering glass as they raced by. Zapdos suddenly veered upward, dodging a fireblast from Moltres. Now not having a target, the fireblast hurtled unimpeded straight for Professor Oak.

He glared it down with intensity before shouting, "Protect!"

Nidoking roared and its horn flashed. A bright light erupted from the horn and surrounded the pair. The fire crashed directly into them, twisting and warping around the ball of light before dissipating into nothingness. Professor Oak stood tall behind his Pokemon, eyes turning upward to Moltres.

"Gramps!" Gary called, catching the attention of his Grandfather. Who by all accounts looked alarmed to see Gary running toward him.

"What are you doing here, Gary?" Oak asked quickly as him and Tracey ran up to the older man. "I thought you'd be with Ash?"

Gary wrinkled his brow, but before he was able to ask Oak what he meant, a woman's voice from the sidewalk cut him off.

"Is Ash alright? He's not hurt is he?!"

Gary turned to the source, spotting a small group of people. Delia was rising to her feet, a hand clutching her chest with worry. All three of Misty's sisters were attempting to hide behind a light pole, and Mahri was on the ground with what appeared to be a bad gash on her knee.

"Ash is fine," Gary said loud enough so Delia could hear. "Everyone was, last I saw them."

"Last you saw them?" Delia repeated, her brown eyes growing wide. "So, then they could be hurt?"

"And Misty?" Daisy peered around the light pole, her blonde hair stringing across her face. "She's, like, not in danger too, right?"

"I'm sure they're all fine, Delia," Oak said. "They're a strong group."

"They were heading to put a stop to all this," Gary explained, waving his arms around to indicate their situation.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Ketchum. Ash will be fine," Tracey added with a nod. "We need to focus on getting the Birds away from town."

"Unfortunately, there seems to be no way to keep their attention," Oak said. "I've been trying for several minutes, but they're too focused on each other to pay attention to anything else."

Gary frowned as he cast his eye upward and watched Articuno dodge an attack from Zapdos and retaliate. While they were still launching attacks at one another, their main focus seems to be on his Scizor flying swiftly between each of them. Its smaller size allowing for it to dodge their attacks.

"Have one of you seen Rudy?" Mahri asked, attempting to stand up, but collapsed from her wound. Delia dropped down to catch the younger girl, and gently rested her back against the light pole ' _hiding_ ' the Sensational Sisters.

"Not since the banquet last night," Tracey replied honestly.

Mahri's eyes widened with stress, her pupils shrinking rapidly. A loud detonation directly above them cut off anymore conversation as dust and debris blasted by. Accompanied by small flames and shards of ice. They girls screamed as they shielded their faces, and Gary forced his eyes open to see Moltres and Articuno physically body slam into one another in an attempt to knock Scizor from the sky.

"Gramps!" He shouted. "Do you have Dragonite with you?"

"Dragonite?" Oak questioned, brushing dust from his face. "Yes, but-"

Without waiting for him to finish, Gary lurched forward and reached underneath Oak's lab coat. He enclosed his fingers around a small sphere he knew to have the Pokemon, and quickly tossed it into the air. In the flash, a loud cry pierced the air, and a towering tan dragon rose to its full height before them.

"We've got a job to do," Gary said to Dragonite. "Let's go!"

He scurried onto its back, and Oak reached out, snagging Gary's pant leg. "Just what do you think you're doing?!"

Gary pointed upwards, "They can't remain fighting above the town like this. There won't be a town left! I'll lead them away from the air."

Honestly, he didn't know if it would work, but the three birds focused all of their attention on Lugia when it rose up, and now they seemed intent on knocking Scizor down. Maybe they would attack another air target?

"I cannot let you put yourself into such a direct line of fire," Oak scolded. "Dragonite, do not-"

"Sorry, Gramps, but even Dragonite knows we have to do this! Let's go!"

Once again, he wasn't sure if that would work, but Dragonite cried out and rocketed straight up into the air. Oak's fingers ripped away from Gary's pant leg as he and the Pokemon shot skyward. The blast was so fast he nearly lost his grip, but miraculously he hung on. Somehow.

"Take care of everyone, Umbreon!" He shouted down, hoping his voice could be heard over the sudden cries of all three Legendaries.

Dragonite spun in the air, slowing its velocity and coming to a stop. Gary used the moment to adjust his sitting position and glance around. Up high above the short buildings the wind was colder than ice, piercing his skin like tiny needles with each gust. Smoke and fires raged on throughout the town, more so than he initially thought. The majority of the population had crowded on the beach, all gazing towards the birds which twisted and turned around one another. A beautiful show if it wasn't so deadly. In the midst of the action, was his metal bug soaring ever so diligently to avoid being struck by an attack. So far the birds hadn't caught sight of Dragonite, or were choosing to ignore it, so Gary gripped one of his PokeBalls.

"Alright, Scizor. Return!"

Somehow, he managed to direct the red beam of light perfectly, and recalled Scizor back into its PokeBall. The Legendaries attack target having vanished, their eyes were now locked on Gary and Dragonite. It seemed his theory had been true. They would strike together against any other sky enemy. The three of them cawed in unison and beelined straight for Dragonite.

"GO!" Gary roared.

Not needing to be told twice, Dragonite turned into a tan bullet. Flying as fast as its wings would carry it. It twisted and spun to avoid a barrage of attacks as Gary's hair stood on end from lightning streaking by. Shards of ice and snow clouded his vision as an Ice Beam detonated just ahead of them, and his rear singed from the proximity of Moltres' attacks. All in all, however, Dragonite was doing a fair job of avoiding a direct hit.

"Lead them away from town!" Gary had to shout. "Draw them back over the ocean if we can."

Dragonite didn't verbally reply, but its sudden change in direction told Gary it understood. His usual spiky hair lay flat against his head from the speed of their race. One wrong turn, one wrong move, and the Legendaries would surely strike without mercy. Gary could feel their anger. As if the very air itself was on edge. Although, they were apparently connected to the end of the world, so that fact didn't much surprise him.

Suddenly a stinging pain seared across his right shoulder blade, causing Gary to cry out in alarm. Heat built rapidly, and he could smell the distinct odor of singeing fabric. Dragonite swirled away from the flames, flying down lower to the building tops. Ice detonated against one's corner, blasting large chunks of frozen debris into the air.

"Back up!" Gary shouted. "We have to minimize their damage!"

Dragonite obeyed and swooped up higher so the stray attacks would blast off into the clouds. The caws of Birds bored down on them as the ocean swiftly drew closer. Gary directed Dragonite to head for the area of beach without the Island's population crowding on its sand. Buildings were suddenly replaced by trees rushing by in a frozen green blur. Once they got out to sea, what were they supposed to do? Dragonite could beeline for one of the Islands and try to lose the Legendaries over there, but that was a long flight to continue dodging their attacks. How was he-

"AAAGGGHHH!"

His throat erupted in an agonizing scream as Zapdos nailed its mark, and thousands of jolts surged through Gary and Dragonite's muscles. The duo twitched and cringed in the air, grunting and crying as the electricity seemed to never end. Zapdos' lightning was strong. Stronger than any electrical attack Gary had ever taken before. Surely, his heart must've stopped by now. After what felt like an eternity in Hell, the attack ceased, but Dragonite wasn't moving. Nor was Gary for that matter. His consciousness was still aware, vaguely able to make them out plummeting for the trees. The greenery rushing them like a an angry herd of Kangaskhan.

When he felt the impact of the tree branches, everything went black.

* * *

Loud clacking reverberated in May's ears as Tauros thundered across the frozen sea towards Ice Island. Ash's thick hair tickled her cheeks from the close proximity of their bodies. In order to stay on the backside of Tauros with ease, she had to lean forward and wrap her arms around Ash's chest. Something she found semi awkward to do. Pikachu stood between Tauros' shoulder blades. Leaning backwards against Ash for support, while the man himself gripped Tauros with one hand and held his hat on with the other. A hard stare occupied his expression, which was a little unreadable to May. Especially after what she witnessed before they left.

Ash had been about to kiss Misty!

There was no other explanation for it. After Misty hugged him, and told him not to do anything stupid, in the boom of thunder and flash of lightning, May could've sworn Ash had been inching his lips closer to Misty's. She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to come up with another logical reasoning, but none came to her. But his course of action didn't make any sense. Misty was getting married! She knew Ash had been carrying the torch for Misty since they were kids, but he wasn't as selfish as to pull a move like that! Even if it would've been the cutest thing May had ever seen.

She snapped her eyes open, staring at the raven hair flying in the wind before her. When Ash arrived on the Island with Serena, it was painfully obvious the honey blonde girl had a crush on him. So much so that it annoyed May beyond belief. Even Dawn had been annoyed. But Serena was sweet, and just as clueless as Ash if May was being honest. She might've been a little further along than the man, but it didn't take a Pokemon Professor to see where Ash's heart truly lied. That was why May had given up on being with Ash after the first time she met Misty…

She cast her eyes down, watching the frozen sea race by as Tauros thundered on. So was what she saw real? Or had it been a trick of the mind with the lightning? If there was something truly going on between Ash and Misty, then May needed to know. Why? So she could help! After all, Ash and Misty were May's friends. Best friends to be exact. If something was going on, sure some people were going to get hurt by the end, but better to nip it in the bud than to let it grow and fester into something worse.

Having to take a moment to gather her thoughts, May finally cleared her throat. "Um, hey. Ash?"

He shifted in his place, craning his neck just enough to peer at her through one eye. "Yeah?"

Seeing his determined chocolate brown orb almost broke her will to ask. Wasn't there something more important to be focusing on right now? Of course, what would be important after all the world ending stuff?

"I…I have a question."

Ash wrinkled his brow, but he grunted to show he was listening.

May fidgeted in place, turning her eyes away for a moment before taking a deep breath and bringing her gaze back. "Were you about to kiss Misty before we left?"

Maybe she shouldn't have been so abrupt with her question. Ash physically stiffened so hard he started coughing like he'd been about to swallow. Both him and May swayed on Tauros' back from the sudden motions, and the Bull had to slow its pace. Pikachu's cheeks cracked from the sudden annoyance.

"I'm sorry," May said quickly, using one hand to pat his back in an attempt to help. "It's just, I thought I saw something weird in the flash of lightning, and I thought I'd ask."

"N-n-n-n-n-NO!' Ash stammered out, his cheeks turning a vibrant pink as he ripped his eyes forward. "Nothing like that was even CLOSE to happening!"

May sweatdropped. Yeah, as if that overreaction didn't clarify the answer she was after. Pikachu sighed from up front as Tauros felt the pair readjust and picked up its pace once again.

Ash was in _big_ denial. Of course, he'd always been in denial. May's heart flickered with a distant pain the first time she realized as much. Just like Dawn, it seemed a small part of her would always yearn for what could've been. A very small part. She was perfectly happy in her relationship with Drew. The way he kissed her sent shivers down her spine each and every time.

The thought caused her cheeks to turn the same shade as Ash's, and she subconsciously gripped him tighter. He stiffened from the action, rising a few inches above May's own head. Suddenly, a thought occurred to the brunette. Ash didn't really have any friends who could walk him through what he was feeling. She was the best person who could possibly help him through whatever was going on between him and Misty at the moment. Why? Because she was the only one in a relationship.

Brock might ' _know_ ' a lot about women, but he himself had yet to hold one down for more than a month so far. Tracey hadn't even shown a single interest in finding a girl, as far as May knew. She didn't know much about Iris and Cilan, but from what Ash had told her through email, they didn't seem like they would be of much help. His Kalos friends wouldn't be much help either. Clemont was obviously very shy when it came to women, and Bonnie was rooting for Serena and Ash to be together through her young naivety. Serena, though incredibly sweet, was the furthest thing from help she could possibly be right now. Dawn and Gary wouldn't be much in the trade of helpful either, too busy focused on other things at the moment. And of course, Misty was the cause of all Ash's inner turmoil.

It was down to May.

"So…." She started slow. "You have a crush on Misty then? Eh?"

His reaction was similar to earlier. He stiffened so tight he might as well have used Harden.

May couldn't help but laugh out loud this time. "You know it's okay, right? You can tell me. I am your friend after all."

His rigid demeanor loosened up, but not by much. She felt his chest rumble beneath her fingers, as if he were trying to speak, but no words came out. She frowned ever so slightly.

"What's wrong with admitting you have feelings for Misty? The rest of us have known since we were like, eleven. It won't be the end of the world if you admit-" she paused at the irony of her statement. Ash might've indeed finally discovered his feelings for the young redhead, and the world was indeed ending. "Er, what I mean is…There won't be any crazy happenings if you admit to a friend you actually fancy a girl."

This time, Ash did speak. "I….I….you…"

May leaned back a bit. "Me?"

She felt Ash swallow hard. It was obvious his brain was working in overdrive. He clearly hadn't been anticipating this conversation. "Don't…don't…don't _you_ like me?"

This time, May stiffened. Did he….did he really just ask that question?! She figured he _never_ would've figured out she'd had a thing for him.

"I mean," he quickly started speaking again, turning one eye back so he could see her. The nervousness was evident. "Not anymore, of course. But I don't want to hurt you anymore either."

That caused May's brain to hitch. "Hurt me?"

Ash swallowed hard. He took a long breath and his eyes went distant. He was clearly battling with himself over something, so May patiently waited him out. Finally, he spoke. "I was told that when you used to like me…me not noticing hurt you a lot. I'm sorry for that."

May's body tingled as he spoke those words. How did he….who told….

"So, I didn't want me admitting I like Misty to hurt you anymore."

Despite the long dead feelings swirling in her gut, and the uncertainty of the situation itself, May couldn't help but smile. "Soooooo, you do like Misty?"

"What?! NO! I mean….I….I…"

May used one of her hands to slap his chest, and then laughed at his frozen reaction. "You are a train wreck! Relax, she likes you too."

His eyes softened, but his rigid stance did not. "I know…."

May frowned hard. "You know?"

He gulped and looked away, steering his eyes ahead to Ice Island. They'd covered a little over half of the distance between it and Shamouti.

"Ash?" May pressed. "What do you mean you know?"

So…when he was going for a kiss….

"I….." A long sigh escaped his lips before he finished, "we….kissed."

Tauros' thundering hooves vanished from May's ears. Ash and Misty liking each other was once thing. Sure, if they decided to go for it some people were going to be hurt in the process. May, and the rest of their friends for that matter, would always be there to support the pair through thick and thin. But…if both Ash and Misty had already done such an act while Misty was supposed to be getting married tomorrow…then the fallout would much, much worse.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" May roared in his ear.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Ash shouted back. "She just looked so damn beautiful under the moon…." She heard his gulp, repressing a sob. Whatever she'd been about to yell next vanished in her throat. His watery brown eye craned back once more to look at her. "What am I supposed to do?"

His tone was pitiful. Such a defeated sound to be coming from Ash Ketchum. It was strange to hear. May closed her eyes and breathed in long and deep before opening them once more and looking Ash square in the eye. "Honestly, I don't know. But I can tell you this…"

She hesitated to gather the right words to what she was trying to say. Ash waited on bated breath.

"If you truly feel for Misty as strongly as I think you do, then you need to tell her."

"But I kissed her?"

"And that's probably caused her to be just as weird as you are right now," May shot back. "My point is. Don't worry about Rudy. Don't worry about me. Don't worry about your Mother, or Professor Oak, or Dawn, or Brock, or anyone else. You and Misty have to make your own choices. Just be ready to face whatever consequences come from them."

Ash stiffened up once again, fear flickering across his face.

"Just because there will be consequences, doesn't mean you shouldn't try for something you truly believe in. Right? You taught me that back when we were kids. You should always try for your dream, no matter what."

She let her words sink into his thick skull, watching as they took hold of his mind. Suddenly, his eyes shot up and he shouted in alarm. Fire blasted by them, close enough to singe the ends off May's hair. Tauros cried out and swerved hard to avoid the flames. Angry caws erupted above them as large shadows flew by. Articuno swooped down to the sea, gliding inches above its frozen surface. Zapdos gave chase, its arcing lightning cracking large craters in the layer of ice. May tightened her grip on Ash as Tauros picked up the pace. Pikachu scampered up atop Tauros' head, his cheeks cracking menacingly. Ash gripped onto Tauros tighter, his gaze locking onto Ice Island. They were still about halfway away. Too much ground to cover with the Birds fighting beside them like this.

Moltres cawed, cutting of Articuno and launching another Fire attack. The Ice Bird received the hit directly, faltering in its flight. It bounced across the layer of ice before resuming its flight and launching into the air. It swooped around and launched an Ice Beam for Moltres, which the Fire Type dodged. A large wall of ice erupted where the attack hit the sea, blocking Tauros' direct line of sight to Ice Island.

"SWERVE!" Ash shouted.

Tauros dug its hooves into the ice, sliding to a stop just inches of crashing headlong into the barrier.

"Go around!"

Tauros slipped a little, but it regained it composure and they took off around the barrier. Ice Island was in their view, and something else far in the distance that made Ash squint. It was a small object, moving swiftly across the ice between Lighting and Ice Island, but he couldn't make out what it was. Zapdos cut off his line of sight to the object and slammed into Moltres. The Fire Type cried out in pain as electricity arced through its body. It retaliated with a blast of fire, that somehow had lightning arcing through its flames. The stream rocketed across the sea, cutting off Tauros once again from Ice Island.

The bull cried in alarm and skidded to a halt as the flames died down, leaving behind a raging river of ocean waves between two thick layers of ice. Thunder boomed overhead as another fire and lighting attack detonated close by them, knocking Tauros and the others flying. Ash and May screamed as they flew high, crashing to the ice hard. The air ripped from Ash's lungs as he bounced, but he ignored the pain and looked for May and his Pokemon. Pikachu was close by, and May and Tauros weren't too far away. Both struggling to rise to their feet.

The Birds swooped overhead, screeching at one another and launching their attacks. Simultaneous bursts of Fire, Ice, and Lighting exploded overhead. Lighting up the air with a colorful burst.

"We have to keep moving!" May shouted.

Ash turned to the raging sea between the two layers of frozen ocean. They had no way to get across those currents. Ice Island was cut off to them. The gap was too large for one of their Pokemon, and Ash wasn't even sure he wanted to trust the Legendaries not to interrupt if they even attempted it.

Somehow, over the roaring wind, screeching Birds, and clapping thunder, Ash heard the distinct sound of a motor. A tiny whirr that was growing closer and closer with each second. May seemed to hear it too, as they both turned towards the source of the sound. He no longer needed to squint, as the object he'd seen earlier hurtling across the ice was much, much closer.

"Hey! Ash! Need a lift?"

Never before had Ash been so excited to hear Bonnie's voice. The little blonde girl was leaning over the front of an inflatable raft, waving her tiny arms in the air. Directly behind her were Jesse and James, each gripping a rope attached to either side of the raft. At the back was Clemont and Meowth, operating what appeared to be a small motor attached to a large metal fan.

"Incoming!" James' voice carried over to them, and he yanked hard on his rope. The raft lurched to the left, completely dodging a stray bolt of lightning from Zapdos.

Meowth cut the motor, and the raft glided to a stop beside Ash and May.

"Hurry up!" the cat shouted. "Get in! We aint got all day!"

"Come on you guys," Clemont added, casting his glasses upward to the warring Birds.

"Right, Tauros, return," Ash said, reaching for his PokeBall and recalling his Bull Pokemon.

May scooped up Pikachu as she raced for the raft, setting the mouse in before she climbed over the side. Ash clipped Tauros' PokeBall back to his belt and hurtled over the edge of the raft. An angry screech sounded just behind them, and Meowth screamed. "GO! GO!"

The cat thrust the throttle full speed forward, and the fan came to a life. With an alarmed shout, the raft took off just in time to avoid an Ice attack. They headed straight for the gap in the frozen ocean, and both Jesse and James yanked up as they reached the edge. The raft lifted up off the ice just enough to soar across the gap and they landed on the other side.

"You were headed for Ice Island, correct?" Clemont asked as he adjusted the direction of the fan.

Ash, who had fallen to his face when they took off, sat upright and adjusted his hat. "Yeah, we need to get the last Treasure from there."

Clemont frowned. "Treasure?"

"It's a long story."

"One we really don't have time to tell," May added as the Birds continued to circle overhead and blast one another.

"But it will help stop the end of the world," Ash motioned upward.

Clemont looked up to the Birds and then back to Ice Island. "End of the world?"

Jesse, James, and Meowth gulped. "No more people to steal from?" Jesse asked.

"Sounds like a drag," James commented.

"Only Ash can stop it," May added. "We need to get that Treasure, fast."

Bonnie squirmed in her seat. "Well if it will help stop the end of the world, then what are we waiting for?" She jumped up and pointed towards Ice Island. "Let's do it!"

The Team Rocket Trio, heartened by Bonnie's enthusiasm, hardened their fear and nodded in unison. Meowth shouted a drawn out ' _YEAAAHHH_ ' as he revved the motor to its highest available speed. Clemont turned the fan once more, and the raft rocketed straight for Ice Island. Another stray attack of lightning came their way, and Jesse yanked her rope. The raft veered right, completely missing the attack as it detonated against the ice. Pikachu gripped onto Ash's leg, keeping his tiny body from bouncing around.

May screamed as an attack of Fire roared by, but James was quick. Tugging on his rope and avoiding the flames. They raced on, gliding across the ice at a much faster speed than before. Ice Island was less than a third of the way now, and Jesse and James were masters at dodging the Legendaries stray attacks. Despite the danger, Bonnie seemed to be having a joyous time. She laughed and giggled as they veered and swerved. She held onto her bag tightly though, to which Dedenne poked its tiny head out just enough to see what was going on.

"INCOMING!" Meowth shrieked, pointing his paw to their right.

Articuno had launched an Ice Beam at Zapdos, but the attack missed and streaked across the frozen sea ahead of the raft. A giant wall of ice erupted as the beam passed by, completely blocking the raft from making a swift serve.

"Charizard!" Ash shouted, flinging himself forward on the raft to throw his PokeBall ahead of them. The Fire Type flashed into existence with a mighty roar, and let loose a torrent of flames that collided with the wall of ice.

Having no where else to go, Clemont steered them straight for the vortex. Screams erupted from the group as they barreled towards the wall of solid ice. Charizard vanished through the now smoldering flames, and the raft raced after the Fire Pokemon. Despite the ferocity of the fire, a thin layer of ice still existed, so Charizard tucked in its wings and Body Slammed straight into the barrier. Shards of ice exploded outwards as Charizard roared from the impact and swooped up into the air. The raft sailed through the opening, thumping hard against the frozen sea. Jostling its occupants.

May regained her composure and unclipped a PokeBall. "Wartortle! Help block those attacks!"

She threw her PokeBall high, and Ash watched it soar. "Charizard, catch Wartortle!"

The PokeBall snapped open, and the Turtle Pokemon cried its name as it tried to place its footing, only to find it was in midair. It flailed its arms for only a moment before Charizard swooped underneath it and let Wartortle land on its back. The Turtle sighed in relief, and then stood up with a hard stare.

Charizard veered down, staying a few feet above the raft. Zapdos, seeing the new Pokemon flying in the sky with them, focused its attention on Charizard. It screeched, turning from Moltres and Articuno to launch a surge of lightning at Charizard and Wartortle. The Turtle opened its jaw, releasing a torrent of water that intercepted the attack. The Lightning arced and chained through the water, heading for Wartortle through its attack. Charizard swerved up suddenly, cutting of Wartortle's attack, but arcing the string of water away from the raft. The lighting followed the trail, completely missing its target. Charizard flew by Articuno, who cawed and gave chase.

"Yeah! Go, Charizard!" Bonnie yelled, pumping her fists. "Show them who's boss!"

"Watch it!" Ash shouted. "SWERVE!"

Charizard heard the command and tumbled in the air. Wartortle cried out in alarm, but gripped on tight. Moltres had attempted to Body Slam Charizard, its momentum carried through and it slammed into Articuno instead. The Ice Type screeched in alarm and blasted Ice directly into Moltres' face. The Fire Bird returned the angry caw, flapping its flaming wings against Articuno. Zapdos saw its chance and attacked both of them with one strike, encircling them in a bombardment of lightning attacks.

As they screeched in pain, Ash grit his teeth. He heard May's knuckles pop beside him.

"Stop it, Charizard!"

"You too, Wartortle!"

Charizard blasted flames while Wartortle launched an Ice Beam. Zapdos, too preoccupied with its assault on the other Legendaries, received the attacks directly and screeched. It ceased its bombardment on Moltres and Articuno, letting the two fly away from each other. Zadpos' angry eyes turned upon Charizard and Wartortle.

"Fly away!" Ash shouted, standing up. Which was a mistake, for almost as soon as he did, a massive thump against the bottom of the boat caused him to lose his balance and he toppled over into May. She shouted in alarm as they crashed to the bottom of the raft, but Ash quickly pushed himself up. Frozen trees greeted his view, flying by in a frosty blur. They'd made it to Ice Island!

"Where to now?" Clemont asked, adjusting his glasses.

Jesse and James shrieked and squealed as they pulled on their respective sides of the raft, keeping them from crashing into the trees and rocks. The slope of the Island was gradually increasing up towards the tall and thin mountain in its center. Ash quickly scanned his surroundings to the best of his ability. His thoughts worried about Charizard, but he knew his Fire Pokemon would be alright. Charizard was a Champion Pokemon. He could take on a few Legendaries.

"What about that?" Bonnie said loudly, leaning over the raft's right side and pointing to the mountain. The group's eyes swiveled that direction, and sure enough, there was a small entranceway to a cave.

"That's our best bet," Ash nodded. "Clemont?"

"You got it!" Clemont returned the nod, and sharply turned his fan. The raft changed course at nearly a ninety degree angle, causing the group to shout in fear. James had to give his side of the raft the hardest tug yet to avoid a row of sharp looking rocks.

Angry caws reached their ears from above the treetops, and Charizard's roar returned fire, but they couldn't see through the canopy of frozen leaves. May clenched her fists, her sapphire eyes trying desperately to see the action above. Ash swallowed hard and reach a hand out to her shoulder. "Don't worry," he said as she looked at him. "Wartortle and Charizard got this!"

She inhaled sharply through her nose and then nodded.

"Heads up!" Meowth called as the threshold of the cave crossed over them and they were plunged into darkness.

Ash's heart lurched at the sudden loss of sight. May, who was no more than three feet in front of him completely vanished. Thinking quickly, he turned to what he thought was the front of the raft. "Pikachu! Light our way!"

A resounding "Pika!" came from his immediate right, and he heard his longtime friend scurry forward. Darkness continued to greet Ash's vision, until a soft "Chuuuu" broke through the blackness.

Pikachu stood on the front of the raft, sparking the lowest of volts through its cheeks. The light was enough to light the immediate area, allowing Clemont, James, and Jessie to see where they were going. And just in time too, as a sudden bend in the cave was coming up. Both Jessie and James screamed and pulled to the left. The raft lurched, swerving around the bend and continued on.

"Dedenne, help Pikachu!" Bonnie declared, rustling her bag.

"Nennene!"

The smaller mouse jumped from her bag and scurried up beside Pikachu. He used his tiny arms to rub fiercely against his cheeks, and as the sparks ignited, he arced them upward and connected with Pikachu's. This increased their light greatly, giving Jesse and James ample seeing distance to avoid collisions. To which they did!

Another bend in the cave was coming up, and they jerked the raft the appropriate direction. The angry caws and screeches died out as they proceeded further into the cave, and Ash found himself hoping this wasn't a dead end. There were no branching passageways for them to take, so if they ran into a wall, they would have to double back. Which was time they could not afford to lose!

On and on the passage went, continuing to twist and turn, the darkness never letting up. Pikachu and Dedenne were beginning to lose their glow, indicating they were growing tired. Ash grit his teeth harder, there just had to be an opening soon! Perhaps if the sun had been shining, he would've noticed it sooner, but eventually he realized…the cave was growing lighter. Tiny details on the ice covered walls were beginning to emerge, and outlines of his companions faded into view.

Suddenly, they rocketed out of the cave and skidded across a thick layer of ice in a large stone basin. The walls rose at a vertical angle, stopping maybe fifteen feet high. At the other end of the basin sat the sight Ash had been searching for! A large stone statue of a Bird, with a tiny blue object imbedded in its open beak. But it seemed different, somehow. Meowth, cut the power to the motor, and the raft slowed. Gliding across the ice, right up to a few ice covered steps leading up to the statue. This much closer, Ash could see why he'd been a little thrown off by the statue's appearance. It was completely covered in a thick sheet of ice.

He jumped form the raft as Pikachu and Dedenne ceased their arcing electricity, with Pikachu giving chase to his Trainer. They hurried up the few stairs, slipping a little as they went. May jumped from the raft and raced after the pair.

Ash slid to a stop in front of the statue, closer examine the layer of ice. It was indeed thick, too thick for him to break. He cursed, slamming his fist against the ice. What was he supposed to do now? Charizard was off keeping the Legendaries distracted so Ash could reach this Shrine. His other Pokemon could chip away at the ice, but that would take far too long.

"Let me, Ash," May said behind him, placing her hand on his shoulder to guide him aside.

He did so, wrinkling his brow, until he remembered.

"Blaziken! Melt this ice!"

May's PokeBall burst open, letting loose her starter Pokemon. Blaziken stood tall, its piercing eyes scanning May first, and then Ash and Pikachu before turning on the ice covered Shrine.

"Flamethrower!"

Blaziken gave one hearty cry of its name before unleashing a raging torrent of fire from its beak. The heat was scolding at Ash's proximity, forcing him to step back. Water dripped to the floor, trickling away for only a moment before freezing in place. Blaziken kept up its attack, planting its feet firmly in the ice. May stood behind her Pokemon, hands raised and fists clenched as she watched the ice melt away.

Then, Blaziken ceased its attack. Revealing a large hole through the ice barrier. Ash stepped forward as Blaziken stepped back. The hole burrowed straight through to the Treasure, which was glistening from the melted ice refreezing against its surface. Ash swallowed and reached his hand into the hole. His fingertips brushed against the frosty surface of the Orb, the warmth from his skin clouding the outer layer. As his grip enclosed around the Orb, a deep blue ignited inside the Treasure, generating a sudden warmth like the other two had done. With a bit of effort, Ash pulled the Orb free from its resting place, raising it close to his eyes to examine.

"Alright, ya got da Treasure, now let's get outta here!" Meowth called from the raft.

"Right," Ash nodded, pocketing the Treasure and looking down to Pikachu. "Let's go!"

"Pika!"

No more than two steps toward the raft, angry screeches reached their ears. Charizard swooped up and over the ice walls, his wings beating fiercely to avoid a blast of Lightning. The three Birds came up after the Fire Type, angry eyes locked onto their target. Wartortle clung to the back of Charizard, too busy clinging on for dear life to return fire. Charizard dove away from a blast of flames, but flew straight into the line of sight for Articuno. The attack was direct, an explosion of ice detonating against Charizard's underside.

"CHARIZARD!" Ash roared, running forward.

The Fire Pokemon plummeted from the air, groaning in pain as it struggled to regain its composure. Charizard crashed into the icy floor, tumbling and rolling across its glossy surface. Wartortle dislodged, getting sent spinning far away on its back. May screamed and raced after her Pokemon, with Blaziken hot on her heels.

Ash hit his knees, sliding to a stop against Charizard, who was struggling to get up. His Fire Pokemon looked completely exhausted, sweat pouring down its scales. Ash placed his hands on Charizard's back, but his gaze was forced up at the sudden sounds of agonizing caws. Zapdos and Moltres had teamed up on Articuno, entrapping it in a swirling vortex of Fire and Lightning. In an attempt to escape, the Ice Bird launched itself forward, slamming full force into the wall of ice. The impact was hard enough to crack the surface, and a deep rumble reverberated beneath Ash.

Articuno managed to fly away from the wall, but fell from the air, crashing hard to the icy floor. It struggled to rise, and with one final groan, collapsed back to the ground. Now having only one air target to focus on, Moltres and Zapdos turned on each other, cirlcing around one another as they attempted to land hits. Their attacks collided with the already weakened wall of ice, causing the cracks to dig deeper.

With a loud snap, portions of the wall gave way, plummeting straight for Ash. Large boulders of freezing ice ready to crush him to oblivion. With a shout, he jumped to his feet, pulling forth Charizard's PokeBall. He recalled his loyal Fire Pokemon as he backtracked, and he felt Pikachu brush against his leg. Not having the time to run away, Ash put everything he had into jumping back, barely avoiding being crushed as the debris of ice impacted together against the ground. He landed on his rump, sliding a few feet backwards on the slippery surface. Pikachu nestled up close to his side, his ears poking up to listen.

"ASH!" Clemont called in fear. "Are you okay?!"

"Yeah," Ash replied, his heart sinking in his chest as he looked over the rubble of ice. It had fallen in the exact wrong place, completely blocking off their only exit.

"Look out!" Jesse and James shouted together, bailing from the raft. Moltres' flames snaked their way from the sky, heading directly for the raft. Meowth, Bonnie, and Clemont screamed in unison before jumping from the raft. Bonnie scooped up Dedenne in her arms, being blasted the furthest away from the detonation of the impact. The raft went up in flames, Clemont's mechanical equipment exploding under the heat.

May, who had been examining her bruised up Wartortle, recalled her Pokemon and stood up beside Blaziken. Her sapphire eyes landed on the flaming raft, then swiveled around from Ash to the others, over to the fainted Articuno, an then to the pile of ice boulders. Blaziken couldn't melt the ice blocking their escape in time, they were trapped! Unless…

She looked at the rubble of ice more closely and gasped. The slope was an easy climb! They could get up to the top and then hopefully run down the side of the mountain. "ASH!" She shouted, getting his attention. She pointed her finger to the pile of ice. "We have to climb!"

He followed her gaze, seeing what she was talking about. "Clemont! Bonnie!" Ash shouted, seeing Team Rocket look over his direction too. "Follow me!"

Ash cast one last look at the feinted Articuno, a deep feeling of guilt hitting him hard. All he had to do was reach Shamouti and he could put a stop to this. That's what everyone told him. He was the Chosen One. He had to do this, nothing could stop him! Not even a steep run down a mountainside!

* * *

 **Talk about an action packed chapter! This was by far one of my favorites to write. Ash has now had a 'moment' with every girl, and all of them understand where things stand and what needs to happen. Now if only our two Lovebirds could figure things out, we'd be good! I hope everyone is in anticipation for what's to come, and is still enjoying the story!**

 **As always, let me know what ya'll think :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey everybody! I've got another chapter for you guys! Hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

Loud cracks pierced the air as Steelix snaked its way across the thick layer of frozen ocean. Flurries of snow and ice flew high into the air behind them, fluttering back down as they continued on. Misty pulled the edges of her pink hoodie closer to her cheeks, angry eyes locked only on Lightning Island. The flashes of lighting and the thunderous roar they produced rattled the already jumbled thoughts raging through her mind. The perfect storm continuing to form both above and inside of Misty.

Despite her aquamarine orbs fixating on their destination, her vision only saw a deep chocolate brown color swirling before her. Raven hair accompanied the sight, as well as a crooked smile. What pulse of her heart she could feel fluttered with the wind against her skin, goosebumps rising from each passing second she pictured Ash inching closer to her. That is, until Brock grabbed her shoulder and the entire scenario repeated in her head. Again and again the recent memory played. Stopping with Brock and restarting with Ash. What would've happened had Brock not pulled her from her stupor? Would she have kissed Ash once again?!

The flutters turned to stings, jabbing deep knives into her chest. Part of her wanted to scream NO! No she would not have committed such an act against Rudy again. But then, the flutters returned faster than the stings could stay. Her heart quickly healing itself the moment Ash started the scenario back up in her mind. She tried to pass it off as the worry she felt for him and May heading to Ice Island alone. But since her brain would not abandon the would be kiss, she had no choice but to accept her situation. No matter how much she wanted to ignore it, shove it aside, pretend the moment her and Ash shared almost twice now had never happened….she couldn't. And dammit did that piss her off!

' _You are getting married, Misty!'_ she screamed in her head. _'CUT IT OUT!'_

Her palms slapped against the sides of her temple as she bowed her face into the shadows her bangs provided. Teeth cracked as she grit her jaw tight. Despite doing this, her eyes remained open, and from the corner of her vision, she spotted something yellow flittering in the wind. Aquamarine eyes snapped to the source, and a thin ribbon tied to her wrist billowed to and fro, slapping against her cheek gently. Slowly, she removed the hand from her scalp and held it before her, angry eyes growing soft and teary. She could almost feel Ash's fingertips against her wrist as he tied the ribbon in place.

"Misty?"

The female voice caught her off guard, causing her to rip her eyes towards Brock. He was sitting directly behind Steelix's head, too far from Misty to have spoken to her. Not that Brock had a feminine-like voice anyway. She then twisted herself back, craning her neck to peer over her shoulder at the thin honey blonde woman seated behind her.

Serena's eyes widened at the sudden motion, causing her to swallow hard. Misty had almost forgotten about the girl, and quickly softened her glare. "Yes?"

After a moment of trying to collect herself, Serena asked. "Are you okay?"

 _Was she okay?! No! She wasn't okay! Way to be perceptive, Serena!_

"I'm fine," Misty huffed, placing both her hands back on Steelix and tightening her grip. "Just fine."

"Do….Do…." Serena swallowed hard once more, and furrowed her brow while she breathed in deep. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"Ash?"

"WHAT?!" Misty nearly broke her back spinning around to face Serena again. "Do you wanna ask me that again?"

The fear was evident in Serena's eyes, and Misty had to give the poor girl credit. Despite being obviously hesitant, she persisted on. "I asked if you wanted to talk about Ash," Serena repeated. "You know, girl to girl."

"You want to talk about the man you have a crush on?" Misty raised her brow and practically sneered. "With me?"

Serena flinched, pulling her blue eyes away from Misty. She didn't know why she was feeling so much anger towards the honey blonde. After all, Ash was fair game to the girl. Misty was the one getting married…

Serena's eyes came back, the fear under control and her stare hard. "No. I want to talk about the man _you_ have a crush on."

Misty's mouth opened to retort, but no sounds came out. There was no denying it. Serena knew what Misty's heart was trying to push away. A growing feeling she could've sworn had been squashed a long time ago. The orange haired girl's eyes fell, her mouth closing slow. "I…."

"It's okay to admit it," Serena said softly, not removing her eyes from Misty. "The world won't end just because you-" she hesitated suddenly, hearing the crack of lightning overhead. "Er, I mean….um…"

Misty stopped her by raising a hand, though her eyes remained down, unfocused. Ash's smiling face came to the forefront of her mind, quickly replaced with worry for him. "I'm scared, Serena." Aquamarine eyes met bright blue. "Ash is racing towards Mew knows what, and I'm scared he's going to get hurt."

"I'm scared too," Serena admitted. "But Ash has done this kind of thing before, right?"

"This time's different…this time…when…." Misty swallowed hard. "When the two of you fell off the cliff, my heart stopped. There's been plenty of times where I was scared for Ash's safety, but this time it's different. I can't explain why…"

Serena listened to her trail off, waiting a moment for Misty to continue. When she didn't Serena said, "Yes you can."

Misty's heart twinged at her words. _Yes. Yes she could._ "No…I can't…"

It didn't matter if there was a deeper meaning behind Serena's words, or Misty's thoughts. She was a committed woman. As far as she should be concerned, Misty was scared for her longtime best friend. Not for…

"We're coming up on Lightning Island," Brock suddenly called back to the girls. "Brace yourself!"

Both women looked ahead past Steelix, spotting why Brock was warning them. They were speeding towards a small cliff face, an easy climb for Steelix, but it would certainly jolt them. Misty gripped her arms and legs around the metal snake, anticipating the impact. With a loud crash of rocks, Steelix reared up and slammed into the cliff side. Serena shouted in alarm, and it was all Misty could do was hope the honey blonde was still on. Steelix's body was vibrating so harshly it took every ounce of strength she had to stay clasped to the Pokemon's back.

Steelix roared as it reached flat land on top of the cliff, taking the group onto Lightning Island and away from the frozen ocean. Ice covered foliage whizzed by in a white blur, throwing flurries of snow behind them. Misty raised her head, craning her neck back to check on Serena. The blonde was still there, eyes jammed shut.

"Final stretch, girls!" Brock yelled back to them. "Alright, Steelix, find Lugia!"

The metal snake roared, picking up its pace now that it was on solid ground instead of frozen ocean. Trees snapped and bent from the sheer force of Steelix, cracking and crashing to the snow. Misty's eyes hardened as they raced onward, a deep scowl covering her face.

 _You better be alright, Ash. Lugia will be free soon, so you better be ready to fix all this._

* * *

Lugia bellowed and twisted against its cage, flinching as electric shocks sparked from the turning rings surrounding it. Warped, burning metal surrounded it on all sides. Remnants of the flying building, smoking like the ruins they had become. Lawrence walked slowly around his prize, marveling at the sight of such a Legendary creature, clutching a small black box in his hand. Lugia's sleek feathers glistened, even without the sun overhead. Even in pain, this Pokemon emitted great power. It rippled the very air, sending exciting chills down Lawrence's spine.

Thankfully, the constant emittance of electric shocks was keeping Lugia from launching one of its attacks against the rings. The harder it fought, the stronger the rings would constrict. A design choice Lawrence made intentionally. How Moltres and Zapdos managed to escape, he still couldn't wrap his head around it, but he assumed it had something to do with those kids. No matter, he had his prize, and those kids were surely long gone.

Lugia screeched in agony, its eyes swiveling down to glare at the man below it. Lawrence whistled. "Oh my, you seem upset. This is a necessary precaution, you understand? The pain won't be permanent. Once I figure out a way to keep you under control without it that is."

The Legendary's eyes grew angrier, and it screeched once more, thrashing against its bonds. Sparks rained down from the impacts, but the rings held firm. Snow turned black as the sparks sunk to the ground below, and Lawrence smiled. After so many years of planning and building, he was here. He'd claimed the ultimate prize! The Beast of the Sea was under his possession.

Suddenly he frowned, glancing down to the black specks littered throughout the layer of white. Tremors tickled the bottoms of his feet, moving upward into his ankles and towards his knees. The top layer of snow shuddered, flurries of snow bouncing across one another. His fingers gripped around the box in his hand, his frown deepening. He looked up, turning on the spot and glancing all around. Trees surrounded him on all sides, enclosing him and his destroyed structure in a large circle. From the dense trees and the piles of wreckage, he had know way of seeing what was coming.

CRASH!

Behind him, trees cracked and splintered apart, flying into the air and crashing to the ground with booming thuds. Lawrence twisted and fell into the snow to his rump as Steelix roared into view. It coiled its head high, giving the man riding the snake a chance to see from a birds eye view. Brock quickly glanced around, spotting Lugia and Lawrence among the rubble. He shouted to Steelix and the steel snake lowered back to the snow. Brock was already sliding off its side, thudding into the snow with a soft thump. Two more thumps sounded behind him, as well as the crunching of snow as the girls ran up to his side.

Misty's eyes landed on the trapped Legendary, squirming and twisting within its electrical bonds. Anger bubbled in her gut. She snapped her gaze down to the green haired man in the snow at the base of Lugia's cage. "You!" She shouted as Lawrence right himself and started to stand up. "Let Lugia go! Don't you realize what you're doing?!"

"You're destroying the world!" Serena added.

Lawrence looked to the younger adults with utter bewilderment. "You survived the crash?"

Misty's temple twitched. "Last chance," she barked, taking a few steps forward in the snow. She unclipped a PokeBall and brandished it forward. "Release Lugia!"

Lawrence's surprise fell into a scowl. "Release my prize? My life's work? Little girl, don't you understand the significance of my presence?"

"You did not just call me that," Misty seethed.

Lawrence stepped forward, throwing his arms out wide. "I am the Chosen One! I am meant to tame the Beast of the Sea-" he gestured back to Lugia. "You-" he motioned to Serena. "You say I am destroying the world? Don't you realize that by taming Lugia I will save it?"

Misty's rage reached a boiling point. This man…her fist clenched hard enough around her PokeBall it began to creak…this arrogant man thought HE was the Chosen One?

"Are you that stupid?!" she shouted. "This is all happening BECAUSE of you! You aren't saving anything! That's Ash!"

"Ash?" Lawrence blinked, then shook his head. "I do not expect someone so young to understand my plight. Why don't you run along now. Let the adult take care of this."

Snow might as well have been melting around Misty with the boiling rage emitting from her very pores. With a snap, she threw her PokeBall forward. "Go! Corsola! Spike Cannon!"

With a loud pop, the Coral Pokemon materialized with a battle cry and let loose a frenzy of sharp, glowing spikes that rocketed straight for Lugia's cage. Lawrence acted fast, raising the box in his hands and flicking a switch. From the surrounding rubble, rings similar to the ones around Lugia erupted high into the air. One swooped into the Spike Cannon's path, intercepting the attack with a barrage of sparks and electricity.

"Bubblebeam those things out of the sky!"

Corsola obliged, shooting bubbles in a blur up at the rings. They impacted against a few of them, detonating against the electrical currents with sharp crackles and pops. One ring fell to the snow, but the others swooped and headed straight for Corsola.

"Pancham, use Stone Edge!" Serena thrust one of her PokeBalls forward. It opened with a pop, and the little Panda appeared alongside Corsola. It cried out and slammed its fists down into the snow. Sharp rocks erupted from the ground, jutting straight up in a circle around the two Pokemon. Blocking the rings from entrapping Corsola. They bounced away, regaining their flight patterns and swirling up into the air. They swerved around, heading for Steelix.

"Dig!" Brock roared, and Steelix obliged, slamming its giant head into the snow and vanishing beneath the ground.

Three of the rings swooped into the hole after Steelix, but the rest broke off and went after the Trainers instead.

"Move!" Misty shouted, pushing Serena and jumping aside. Serena fell on her rump, but the rings whooshed right by her. They narrowly missed Misty as she landed on her chest in the snow.

Brock wasn't as lucky. He shouted in pain as two of them entrapped him in the middle, shooting small arcs of electricity into his muscles. Misty jumped to her feet and grabbed the ring on Brock's right side. Her teeth slammed together as jolts of electricity sparked against her hands. She ignored the pain and dug her heels through the snow, pulling back against the force of the ring. Serena rocketed to her feet, grappling the other ring and imitating Misty. An alarmed squeak escaped from the honey blondes chest as the electric current jerked through her arms. She didn't waiver though, gritting her teeth and pulling back with all she had.

The airborne rings circled back around and shot straight for the girls, but Corsola and Pancham jumped in the way. Spike Canon's and Dark Pulse's deflected the rings away, keeping them at a fair distance away from the Trainers. One by one they attempted to launch at the group, but the two Pokemon worked together well, covering the others blind spots.

Misty started to grunt aloud, pushing every ounce of strength she had into her muscles. Serena may have been thin, but the veins in her arms were beginning to bulge as she too grunted aloud, burning her thighs from the sheer force she was pushing into them. Brock winced and twitched as the electricity sparked against him, but he managed to groan a command. "S-S-S-Steelix….go….for…the box!"

Lawrence didn't hear, but the sudden vibrating beneath his feet sent an alarm through his nervous system. With the loud cracking of rock, the ground beneath his feet erupted upwards as Steelix emerged with a mighty roar. Lawrence stood atop its head, shouting in fright as he stumbled back and fell between the grooves cresting Steelix's dome. The three rings swooped out of the ground after the steel type, circling and attempting to lock the Pokemon in place. The electric sparks ricocheted off the Pokemon, doing little to no effect.

With a mighty shout of pain from both girls, Misty and Serena gave one final tug and the rings ripped apart from Brock. Both women fell to their rears, and Brock collapsed to his knees. The rings resumed their flight, joining the others. With an angry glare, Brock looked up. "Hit Lugia's cage!"

Steelix roared and faced the larger rings. It slammed its massive head straight into the electric shield. Sparks ignited and soared every which direction, showering over Lawrence and causing him to scream in fear. Steelix repeated the motion, sending more sparks outward. The green haired man scrambled away from the burning shower, small holes singeing into his clothing. He slipped, and with a shout, tumbled down the back of Steelix.

He rolled off the side, plopping into the snow with a dull thump. Misty rose to her full height, slipping in the snow as she raced his direction. Serena stumbled to her feet, following after the redhead. As Lawrence rose, he winced from another impact by Steelix, which caused him not to see Misty coming. She slammed her shoulder straight into the man, smashing him up against the Steel Pokemon. The box fell from his grasp, and dropped to the snow. Serena scooped it up and raised it high.

"NO!" Lawrence yelled, but his reaction was too late. Serena smashed the device against Steelix's steel hide. It sparked and fizzled, causing the honey blonde to quickly drop the remnants of the device.

Misty intercepted Lawrence's movement towards Serena, using her leg to trip the man and use her body weight to pull him to the ground. Brock raced to their side, shoving his hand into his back pocket. With one fluid motion, he whipped out a slick blue ribbon and wrapped it around Lawrence's wrists. Misty held the man in place as Brock tied the prize ribbon, and as they did, Steelix paused its assault against Lugia's electrical cage.

The shield was flickering in and out, sparking and fizzling much like the box Serena shattered. The rings fell from the sky one by one, disappearing into the snow with dull thumps. Lugia's roars became more forceful as the electricity shimmered and faded away. The Legendary suddenly extended its wings to their fullest length, shattering the remaining electrical currents and sending the larger rings soaring away. Steelix bobbed its head to the side to avoid one of them. The humans looked up in awe as the Legendary stepped forward into the now, its songlike roar piercing deep into their ears. Its eyes slowly turned down upon them, scanning the four of them over. Corsola and Pancham raced to stand between them and Lugia, peering up the Legendary with envy and caution.

Lugia locked eyes with Misty for a moment, and its voice entered her mind. ' _The Chosen One?_ '

"He's headed for Ice Island," Misty quickly replied, pulling her arms away from Lawrence now that his hand were bound. "He needs your help!"

Lugia gave her a curt nod, and turned its head towards the sky. With three massive wingbeats that blew both Misty and Serena's hair back, Lugia rose into the air. Flurrying snow after it as it soared up and over the trees.

Lawrence squirmed beneath Brock. "You have no idea what you've just done. The world will surely meet its end now."

"Be quiet," Brock said down to him, then looked up to Misty. Her aquamarine eyes remained trailing after Lugia's form.

Serena brought her hand up to her chest as she too watched Lugia go. "We did it, Ash," she whispered.

Misty heard the whisper, and for some reason, it spurred her forward.

"Misty!" Brock shouted as she raced for the tree line, following the path Steelix had carved for them. Corsola gave chase to its Trainer.

* * *

"Come on!" Ash shouted, throwing himself up over the edge of the crater's walls. He slid a bit from the ice, but managed to stop himself. His muscles ached from the shaky climb up the slope of ice rocks, but he couldn't focus on that now.

Pikachu popped up over the side, followed by Dedenne and Bonnie. Clemont shoved his sister's rear, giving her ample room to grab the side and haul herself up. Ash turned to help her, and then offered a hand to Clemont. As he scrambled up to the top, Blaziken lifted May and held her high. She easily climbed up the edge, falling to her knees beside Bonnie. Team Rocket winced as a detonation of Fire and Lighting happened just above them, followed by the rushing of wind as both Moltres and Zapdos whooshed by. Ash stood to his full height as Clemont safely made it up the side, and a shiver ran down his spine. This high up, the wind was fierce and pierced into his skin like needles. His hair whipped around wildly as he slapped a palm to the top of his head, keeping his hat in place.

Team Rocket let out a groan in sync, causing Ash to glance down at what they'd seen. Standing at the very top of the Ice Island Mountain, Ash could see for hundreds of miles. Smoke plumes rose from Lightning Island and Shamouti, contrasting greatly to the ice and then blending into the dark sky. Lightning clapped across the sky, further enhancing Ash's view of the frozen sea, which stretched all the way out to the curve of the Earth. Deep gashes pierced the ice, or large chunks had been blasted away by the Legendary Birds. What water free from the ice their was sloshed violently in the ensuing storm. The following thunder vibrated their very cores, vibrating the ice beneath their feet.

Gulping hard, Ash peered over the edge of the mountain. The slope down was steep, but evened out the closer it got to the Island. There was no other way down, they were going to have to take their chances. Pikachu scurried up his side, taking his usual perch with cheeks sparking.

"Let's go!" he had to shout over the wind, and then leapt off the side. His feet connected with the ice, and he barely managed to stay upright as he slid down the mountain side. Both arms shot straight out, swerving and swaying to keep his balance. The yellow mouse in his shoulder gripped his tiny claws into Ash's jacket, leaning against his head for support.

"Is he crazy?!" Jesse shrieked.

"I tink he's got a death wish," Meowth agreed.

"That's our only way down," May told them sternly, pulling up Blaziken's PokeBall. "Unless you want to stay up here."

Lightning cracked again, causing the Rocket Trio to shout. "NOPE!" They jumped over the edge after Ash, screaming in unison.

"Hold on to me, Bonnie," Clemont said urgently, and the little blonde girl gripped his side. Dedenne burried itself deep within her handbag. Clemont looked utterly terrified, with sweat forming on his brow, but he inhaled sharply and followed after Team Rocket. Him and Bonnie both shouted in alarm as they dropped over the edge.

Moltres and Zapdos shot by May once more, their caws hurting her eardrums. Her brown hair whipped in her face as she watched them go by, and then she turned back to Blaziken still in the crater. "Return," she pointed the ball at the Pokemon. The tiny red light recalled the Fire Type, and May clipped the ball back to her belt. With an uneasy shout, she too leapt off the edge of the mountain.

Single file, the group slid down the side. Ash picked up speed the further he went, a ticklish sensation on the bottom of his feet as they slipped and threatened to twist out from under him. Pikachu's cheeks cracked nonstop, his beady eyes on the sky, watching for the Birds. Ash had been in intense situation before, but this took the cake. Never before had he slid down an entire mountain on only his feet. One wrong move…and…well, he wouldn't be a Pokemon Trainer anymore…

Silently he prayed for his friends behind him, too scared to glance back should he lose his balance. Up ahead, the trees were drawing closer, until one whipped by, followed by another and another. He had to swerve himself to avoid running into one, and he heard Clemont shout from behind. Numbness spread across his face as the wind pressed hard into him. His eyes watered and burned, but he didn't dare blink.

The slop began to even out, to the point that Ash had to begin taking a few steps. Pikachu suddenly looked up and called his name. Zapdos soared just above the tree tops, angry eyes glancing down to the two below. It cawed aloud, feathers surging with electricity. Ash's eyes widened, and he dug his heels into the ice, throwing himself aside. The attack missed by inches, cracking the ice and sending shards up high.

The raven haired trainer hit the ground hard on his back, sliding straight into the trunk of a large tree. Pikachu fell from his shoulder with a squeak, and Ash collapsed to his chest. The others shouted in alarm, swerving to avoid the small crater Zapdos blasted into the ice. Ash groaned and looked up as another electric attack soared by, heading straight for Clemont and Bonnie. They screamed and managed to avoid the attack, but not the blast radius. It exploded at the base of a tree, uprooting it and two others nearby. The lemon blondes were knocked to the ice, sliding into another pair of trees.

May screamed in terror as one of the trees fell her way. She attempted to swerve her feet, but they slipped out from beneath her and she dropped, smacking her temple against the ice.

"MAY!" Ash's throat ripped.

"SHADOW BALL!" Jessie roared, tossing her PokeBall. Gourgeist appeared, no hesitation between that moment and launching the spinning dark ball of energy. It slammed into the tree, causing it to explode into a flurry of splinters. They rained over the non moving May, clattering against the ice harmlessly.

Two massive booms shook the ground from the other two trees, knocking Team Rocket from their feet. They crashed to the ice in a heap, scrambling to untangle themselves from one another.

Ash pushed through his pain, forcing himself to rise to his feet, eyes locked on May. From his distance, he could faintly make out a small streak of blood on the ice below her head, and his heart lurched. He took a single step forward when Moltres' caw rang down. A heat wave blasted over him as a stream of fire missed Zapdos and smashed into a group of trees. The flames melted through the ice, managing to catch the bark beneath ablaze. Clemont scrambled away from the fast spreading fire, pulling a shaking Bonnie with him.

Faster than Ash could fathom, the flames danced from tree to tree, melting the ice on the neighboring foliage. Ignoring the growing heat, Ash continued his race to May, but a loud cracking resounded above him.

"PIKAPI!"

Pikachu's shout forced him to look up, and Ash shouted in alarm. He threw himself back as a large branch crashed down, smashing into the ice between him and May. Flames danced across the bark, the leaves a blazing wall of fire.

"MAY!" He screamed again, his chest constricting in his panic.

"She's alright!" came a voice from the other side of the flames. James' voice. "We have her, and she's breathing."

"You need to go, Twerp!" Jessie's voice followed. "Don't worry about her, we'll get her somewhere safe!"

"Yeah, we's got her! You save da world!"

The squeezing in his heart faded ever so slightly. May was breathing! But… "I can't leave her!" Ash called back. "I'll find a way through, just give me a second-"

"Don't you dare!" Jessie barked. "You have something more important to do! Everyone and everything is counting on you. We'll put as much effort into protecting her as we do trying to steal Pikachu!"

"You can count on us!" James added. "We'll place our lives before hers!"

Ash heard their words, his heart swelling with an affection towards Team Rocket he wasn't sure he'd ever have. Regardless, he opened his mouth to argue back.

"Don't go givin' us one of your Twerpy hero speeches," Meowthe shouted. "Let us be da hero's for a change. You be da savior!"

The flames continued to grow higher, starting to circle around Ash and Pikachu. He was forced to step back from the heat, and his eyes began tearing up.

"Ash!" Clemont called fearfully, his eyes watching the spreading flames. Bonnie clung to his side, face buried into his overalls.

Pikachu and Ash stepped further and further back as the flames lashed out at them in attempts to capture the pair. Knowing deep in his heart he had no other choice, he swallowed hard. "Right!" he shouted. "Keep her safe!"

"GO!" Jesse screamed.

And Ash did. He spun on his heals and sprinted towards Clemont and Bonnie. They turned to run with him as he raced past, and the smaller group hurried away from the ever growing fire. Despite his heavy breathing, Clemont managed to keep up with Ash and Pikachu, pulling Bonnie along behind him.

"May will be alright, Ash," the lemon blond haired man wheezed out. "Team Rocket aren't that bad. They'll get May to safety."

"I know," Ash said back through breaths, and that was all. It was taking a lot of effort not to slip on the ice.

Despite starting good, Clemont began to fall behind, Ash's lead growing further and further. Bonnie stayed by her Brother's side, slowing with him as they continued on. It was evident on her face, terror and confusion. Emotions someone so young should never have to feel.

Just when Ash started losing his stamina, he broke from the trees, racing onto the frozen sand of the beach. He skid to a stop at the oceans edge, eyes gazing out towards the long distance between there and Shamouti. His chest rose and fell rapidly, sharp breaths burning his lungs with each inhale. Clemont and Bonnie broke the tree line behind him, covered in sweat and breathing even harder than him. There was no way they could run the rest of the way back to Shamouti. Not across a barren, frozen ocean. Especially with Moltres and Zapdos soaring high above them. Their attacks blasting and detonating against one another.

"What….now…." Clemont wheezed, bending over and placing his palms against his knees.

Ash didn't reply. He couldn't use Charizard to fly the rest of the way. His fire type was too injured to handle such a rigorous flight. Tauros would be tired from its run across the ocean the first time, and wouldn't make it with one, let alone three of them on its back. They were stuck.

Bonnie suddenly gasped, and pointed ahead. "Look!"

Both Ash and Clemont followed her line of sight, and even Ash had to fight the urge to gasp aloud. Soaring low, causing snow to blast up behind it, Lugia rocketed straight for them. Coming from the direction of Lightning Island.

"Is that…" Clemont stood up, adjusting his glasses as awe covered his expression.

"Lugia," Ash suddenly beamed. "They did it! Misty, Brock, and Serena did it!"

"Pikachu!" the mouse cheered.

The Legendary's silver feathers glittered, even with the lack of sunlight, as Lugia flew across the ocean. It's songlike roar reached them before the Pokemon, and Lugia whooshed over them, circling up into the air and slowing itself down. The icy wind ruffled Ash's clothes, and he turned to watch Lugia soar.

Lugia swerved and headed for them, flapping its massive wings as it landed on the beach with a thud. "Chosen One," its elegant voice boomed.

Clemont and Bonnie gawked.

"Do you have the Treasure?" Lugia continued.

"Right here," Ash nodded, producing the Blue Sphere from his jacket pocket. He held it out, the blue light deep within dancing from his touch.

Lugia nodded, and bent down. "Get on."

Ash stalled for a moment, not expecting the Legendary to offer a ride so simply. Pikachu scrambling up Lugia's wing snapped him back to reality, and he pocketed the Treasure once more.

"Let's go," Ash said to Clemont and Bonnie before hurrying over to Lugia.

They climbed up the Legendary's feathers, taking care not to pull any out. Once they were on, Lugia beat its wings and rose into the air. Ash hadn't been properly seated, and lurched a bit from the sudden motion. Bonnie shouted in surprise, fear, and a bit of excitement, while Clemont groaned. High they soared, turning sharply and beelining straight for Shamouti. Ash had a better view of the Island from this distance now, and could see small fires within the town. Hopefully, Gary and the others were getting people to safety and combating against the flames. His heart ached for all his friends, praying for their safety.

Lugia suddenly jerked as angry caws came from behind. Lightning arced past them, narrowly missing Lugia. Fire soon followed, the heat wave close enough to cause Ash to sweat. He craned his neck back, peering over the lemon heads of Bonnie and Clemont. Moltres and Zapdos gave chase, wings flapping fiercely as they launched attack after attack. Lugia bobbed and weaved, swerving up and down to avoid each one.

Ash found himself gripping tight into its feathers in an attempt to stay still. He hunkered down low, hoping to not be hit by an attack or to lose his grip. With both hands gripped tight against Lugia, he wasn't able to move very much. A strong gust of wind slapped him in the face, and his hat ripped from his head. His head twisted to the side to watch it flutter away in the wind, vanishing amongst the darkened sky.

Lugia jerked harshly once more, receiving a direct strike of Zapdos' lighting to its underside. A horrified scream erupted from Bonnie, and Ash cracked his neck twisting the other way. A piercing cold harsher than the wind froze his heart as he watched the little girl slip from Lugia's back and topple over its side.

"BONNIE!" Clemont roared, and shoved himself off after his sister.

Ash's scream was lost in his throat as both his friends vanished, falling down to the frozen ocean below. Lugia twisted again, and Ash caught a glimpse of Bonnie reaching up to her brother as Clemont angled himself down after her. Then they were gone as Lugia soared on, dodging another blast of Fire from Moltres.

* * *

Blue hair flew behind her as she ran through the now empty streets of Shamouti. The image of Gary falling from the sky burned into her mind. Dawn's heard beat wildly, pushing her on without realizing the sheer exhaustion she was causing herself. She hadn't stopped to think, she'd just ran, leaving her Pokemon behind to handle the situation. She knew they could, right now she just needed to find Gary.

Last she saw, he had crashed into the trees to the South, but that was the furthest he possibly could've from her. After what felt like years of running, she emerged from the buildings and found the Southern tree line. Panic seeping further into her heart, she started running up the line, glancing through the foliage for any signs of the man. How was she supposed to find him?!

"Dawn?!"

The sudden male's voice caused her jump harshly. She skidded to a stop, raising her fists in defense. Her dark blue eyes swiveled around the immediate area, scanning the buildings and trees. She spotted silhouette of a man in the foliage, and she back-stepped a bit. When her eyes decided to focus, a tall man with groomed auburn hair came into view.

"Rudy?" she asked quizzically, dropping her arms. Her voice caught in her throat when she saw the man lugging another, unconscious person with him. "GARY!" She shouted, sprinting into the thick foliage. She shoved branches aside and made it to them, coming to a stop by Rudy. "Gary?!"

Gary didn't reply, and when Dawn took in his appearance, her chest squeezed. There was a deep gash across his forehead, and dozens of smaller ones across his arms and torso. His wrist was swollen to triple its normal size, and his mouth hung open.

"He's not responsive," Rudy told her heavily, "I watched him crash down. He had a Dragonite with him, but I recalled it into its PokeBall. It wasn't responsive either."

Dawn's eyes teared up as she continued to look Gary over. She started to reach out to him, but Rudy's voice stopped her. "We need to get him medical attention right away, can you help me carry him?"

Dawn's eyes snapped up. "I-uh-Yeah! Yeah, let's hurry!"

She quickly scurried to Gary's other side and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Warm blood tickled her neck as one of his gashes rubbed against her nape.

"We have to be careful," Rudy told her. "We don't know if he has any major internal injures."

"Right," Dawn said quietly. "You lead."

Rudy nodded and started forward, with Dawn supporting Gary from his other side. Her eyes burned from the tears continuing to build. If this had happened to Gary, what could be happening to her other friends? She stepped out of the trees, placing a foot onto solid concrete of the sidewalk.

"Have you seen Misty?" Rudy asked, his voice shaky. "I haven't seen her since the Ceremony, and I…"

His voice faltered, but Dawn didn't dare look at him. "I…I saw her this morning, and she was alright then…"

 _Alright_ was strong word for the situation Misty had been in…and now…

Rudy said nothing else, his stare growing distant and scared. Dawn could relate. Her friends were out there somewhere, maybe fighting to stay alive even. She cast a worried glance at Gary's scuffed face, and her heart cried. _Please be alright…_

* * *

Fearful aquamarine eyes watched Lugia swerving through the air as Misty stood on the edge of Lightning Island. Moltres and Zapdos gave chase, attacking with a ferocity Misty had never seen before. It was as if they were growing angrier and angrier with each passing second. Lugia was growing tired, receiving more hits the longer the chase went on. If that kept up…

Misty's worst fear came to life as Moltres swooped underneath the Legendary and circled around in front of it. Zapdos connected a direct hit from behind as Moltres did from the front. Lugia's cry of pain reach all the way to Misty before it began to plummet from the sky. Her chest caved in on itself as Ash and Pikachu's frames came loose, limply trailing behind the falling Lugia. With a piercing crack, Lugia crashed through the ice, vanishing below the raging ocean. Ash and Pikachu smashed into the water behind it, disappearing from Misty's view altogether.


	13. Chapter 13

Bonnie's scream erupted from her throat as she continued to fall. Clemont's glasses reflected the flash of lightning as he sped after her. The wind roared around her, deafeningly loud and drowning out Clemont's shout. Both siblings had their hands outstretched to one another, and tears glistened from Bonnie's eyes. Clemont angled himself forward, slowly inching closer until finally his fingertips brushed against Bonnie's. He gripped her hand tight and pulled her to him. Bonnie wrapped her tiny arms around his chest, and he felt Dedenne squirm within her handbag. Her terrified shout was lost on his ear from the roaring of the wind, and he glanced down to the rushing ice below.

Thinking quickly, he twisted his arm back, reaching to his backpack and fumbling with the zipper. He managed to open it enough to thrust his hand inside, and he began feeling amongst the various items he had stashed inside. Bonnie quivered against his chest, her whimpers vibrating his sternum. The ice came fast, glaring and jeering at them. Beckoning them closer and closer with each passing moment. Finally, Clemont's fingers closed around the device he was searching for and he ripped it from the bag. A few other items came out with it, but he paid them no mind. Swiftly, he thrust the handheld contraption forward. A tiny, circular device with a large button on the top. This was something he'd been working on to deflect some of Team Rocket's crazier ideas, and he promptly jammed his thumb down on the button.

A small port opened up on the back, and an antenna sprouted from the hole. The tip opened up, revealing a long strip of metal that expanded a few feet in front of him. It then spread out wide, creating a giant, round shield made of solid metal. The idea behind the device was it would receive any attacks and launch them right back. If the shield was slammed against the ice, in theory, the impact would be launched back at the ice, cracking it and creating an opening for him and Bonnie to fall through.

This was a terrible field test…

SMASH! The shield impacted against the ice, and a resounding crack rocked Clemont's arm. The ice shattered all around him and suddenly the pair was surrounded with freezing water. Clemont's lungs were instantly on fire, screaming for air from above. Bonnie clung to him tighter, and he let the shield device go, allowing it to vanish in the underwater currents. He kicked his legs, swimming back up towards the top.

Thump! His head cracked against a solid sheet of ice. Panic set in, causing him to swallow freezing water. He let go of Bonnie with one hand and reached up. Feeling nothing but solid ice above him. They must've been swept away from the opening he'd created! Frantically, he felt along the ice, searching for a crack, a hole, any sort of opening for them to escape through.. Bonnie squeezed tighter against him, and his own lungs threatened to burst.

A deep, resonating growl vibrated the water's currents around him, and something large and blurry swam by. Clemont blinked twice, realizing his glasses were gone. He squinted in an attempt to see better, and whatever had swam by seemed to be turning back.

* * *

Professor Oak stood at the edge of town, his eyes heavy with worry as he glanced over the crowd of people on the beach. Tracey raced by him, helping a woman with a deep cut on her leg. Thankfully, not many had been hurt as the Legendary Birds fought overhead, but a few stray attacks had caused some damage. Those unfortunate enough to be in the way had received more than minor injures. Off in the distance, Delia and the Sensational Sisters assisted Nurse Joy with a few of the injured. Officer Jenny and few others had gone back into town, heading for the hospital to check on the patients and staff, and to also get help sent out for those who needed it.

"Professor!"

Oak turned his tired face towards the female voice, spotting Dawn and Rudy carrying a limp Gary. They rounded one of the buildings, stepping onto the beach and heading the elder man's way. With as much speed as his age would allow, Oak hurried their direction. When he was within speaking distance he exclaimed, "What happened?!"

"He fell from the sky," Dawn told him, her voice shaking. "He hasn't responded at all."

"But he's breathing," Rudy added. "He needs to get to the hospital right away."

"Officer Jenny should be back soon with a means to transport everyone there," Oak said, his eyes scanning over his Grandson. Worry wrinkled his face.

"Have Ash and the others showed up at all?" Dawn asked, her expression morphing as she fought against her emotions.

"I'm afraid not," Oak said, looking to her. Thunder boomed overhead. "And I'm afraid things are getting worse."

Dawn's tears let loose. "What are we going to do?"

"For now, let's do what we can for Gary and the other injured," Oak told her gently. "Bring him over here, Delia and Nurse Joy should take a look at Gary for us."

* * *

Blackness surrounded the Pokemon on all sides, growing ever darker and darker as it sank towards the bottom of the sea. Every muscle and joint ached with pain, its large wings throbbing as if they were broken in several places. That didn't stop it from trying to right itself though. It couldn't leave the Chosen One alone to continue the fight. It had to regain itself, it had to surface once more.

Lugia's songlike voice came out like a croak as it struggled to raise its head. A sharp pain shot through its long neck, stopping that motion before it could really being. Dark bubbles billowed around it as it sank faster and faster. Lugia's eyes dimmed as its lids slowly closed.

 _I….have failed…._

* * *

Blue eyes gleamed in the flash of lightning as hands clasped to her chest with worry. Serena gasped a little as the vicious roar of thunder physically rattled her. The snow around her feet danced from the deep hum, tickling against her jeans. Pancham's tiny body brushed against her leg, scooting closer to its trainer. The ground shuddered beneath their feet as Steelix adjusted its long body.

Brock glanced up over the tree line to the pitch black sky. A deep frown adorned his face, and he turned his gaze down to the man who'd caused the situation at hand. Lawrence had been shoved into a sitting position against a large piece of metal debris. He shivered from sitting on his rump in the snow, but he returned Brock's glare.

"Just know," the man said. "This is at the fault of you and your friends."

"I've met many arrogant men in my time," Brock said back. "But you are by far the the most self absorbed."

"It was my destiny to tame The Beast of the Sea," Lawrence spat. "Now because of you the world will surely come to an end."

"And you just proved my point."

Brock turned away as Lawrence continued speaking. Spouting more nonsense about him as the Chosen One. He instead fixed his eyes on the stiff honey blonde girl standing a few feet away. Serena's gaze was fixed on the spot where Misty ran after Lugia. The redhead had not come back, and Brock would be lying if he said he wasn't growing more and more worried.

What could've happened to stall her return? He'd deduced she wanted to watch Lugia make it across the sea to Ash. To make sure the Legendary succeeded. Had something terrible occurred?

"Brock?"

He returned to reality when he heard Serena's scared voice. It had been small, vulnerable, laced with fear. Slowly, her blue eyes turned to look his way. Tears bordered on falling, her hands clasping tighter and tighter to the point her knuckles were whitening.

"Do you think they made it?"

Her question rang loud in his head. Had their friends succeeded yet? Were they all safe?

"I…." How was he supposed to answer her? "I don't know."

"But, they will….right?" she looked away once again, training her eyes on the sky. "Ash will win….he always does….right?"

Thunder roared again, drowning the end of her question out in Brock's ears. The boom shuddered Brock's chest, and he too looked up to the sky. Sounds of the Birds still fighting faintly made it over the trees. What he couldn't see, was Serena's tears begin to fall.

* * *

Sweat threatened to enter James' eye, so he slowed his running. The fading crunch of his feet in the snow was heard by Jesse, and she looked back with a bit of worry on her face. James inhaled and exhaled sharply, not realizing he'd been about to collapse from exhaustion. Soot and smoke filled his nostrils, severely causing him to have trouble breathing.

"James?" Jesse asked, stepping his direction.

"I'm fine," he wheezed, adjusting the non moving May on his back. "Just…a little tired."

"I think we're far enough away from dat fire," Meowth said, casting a glance across the Island's horizon. "Maybe we shoid rest for a moment."

The other two agreed, and Jesse moved to help James set May down against the base of a large, frozen tree.

"Should we check her wound?" James asked as he collapsed to his rump. "We should make sure she's still breathing."

"She is," Jesse told him, having already moved to do the very thing he'd suggested. She pushed May's bangs back to see the semi large gash running across her temple towards the back of her hair. The wound itself didn't appear very deep, but it hadn't clogged over yet, telling Jesse it would need stitches. Jesse frowned and quickly reached down to her shirt. She gripped the hem and tore fiercely, revealing more of her midriff to the cold wind.

"What are ya doin, Jesse?" Meowth asked incredulously.

"She's going to lose too much blood if we don't wrap her wound up," Jesse explained, pushing May's hair out of the way. "James, help me."

With a bit of groan from the amount of strength he had to put into his movement, James shuffled over and held May's hair back as Jesse wrapped the torn piece of fabric around her temple. She pulled it tight and tied it off.

James let May's hair fall, leaning against the tree beside her. "Now what do we do?"

The question hit heavier than he'd meant for it to. None of them had any idea on their next move, or where they should go. They were trapped on Ice Island as far as they knew, with no way off until help arrived. Attempting to walk across the frozen ocean would be suicide with the Birds fighting overhead. Meowth swallowed hard, looking up to the sky as thunder boomed. "I hope da twerp can do something about dis."

Silence followed his statement, until a small cough caught their attention.

"He can…"

James' eyes grew to saucer size as May shuffled beside him. The brunette's eyes cracked open, though it looked painful for her to do so. She shakily raised her head, looking straight at Meowth.

"Ash…can do this," May told him. "I know he can."

"What makes you so sure?" Jesse asked a little harsher than she meant to.

A soft smile graced May's lips, but her head bowed and she started to fall forward. James yelped and quickly caught her before she could hit the snow.

May coughed again, and her voice came out in a croak. "Because….he has Misty…the two of them can accomplish anything….as long as they're together…."

* * *

Misty's skin felt like it was on fire as she was pulled through the water. Her fingers pricked and tingled like heavy weights were resting on them as they gripped the edges of her Staryu. But she ignored all that. Her mind was focused on getting to Ash as fast as possible. Lugia had fallen, and Ash with it. They hadn't made it to Shamouti, despite Lugia's valiant efforts in dodging the Legendary Birds. And Misty feared the worst. What if Ash…

She gasped aloud, bubbles escaping her lips as the water entered her mouth. Staryu caught the hint and veered upward, heading for a large hole in the ice. It broke the surface, allowing Misty the chance to cough and retch what water had entered her lungs. Corsola emerged beside them, cooing to Misty worriedly as she inhaled and exhaled rapidly.

Coughing and spitting up the last of the water, she grunted at the both of them. Staryu submerged once again, pulling Misty with it. She took a massive breath before her head went under, and she closed her eyes for a second. The saltwater burned her vision, but she forced her eyes open, fighting against the searing pain. She trusted Staryu and Corsola to follow their instincts, but she had to help look for any sign of Ash. Bursts of light lit up above her through the ice as Moltres and Zapdos continued their feud. What had happened to Articuno? Was its fate the same as Lugia's? And perhaps Ash and Pikachu's?

She shook her head, swirling bubbles into existence from her strands of hair flowing around her. Whether her eyes now burned from the salt, or her tears, she didn't know. Not that she could really tell if she was crying anyway. More bubbles escaped her lips again as she gagged, running out of air. Staryu shot upward once more, beelining for the nearest hole in the ice. Misty inwardly cursed her lungs. Her need for air. Ash's time was short and she didn't have the leisure to be surfacing to breathe.

They popped up much closer to Shamouti this time, and Misty could clearly see the spot where Lugia crashed through the ice. "Head that way, Staryu."

With its saluting cry, they submerged once again. Staryu veered the direction she'd mentioned, and they took off, with Corsola leading them. Misty's eyes scanned the dark underwater depths. Hoping to see a silhouette, or figure of any kind. As much as she loved the ocean, this time she felt the fear in her blood. The black depths below her beckoned her down. A deep chasm of Death's embrace, calling her and anything it could get its hands on. Once gone, never to emerge again.

 _Ash…._

Staryu saluted, suddenly jerking and veering up after Corsola. Misty shot her gaze that direction, and her heart soared. Ash was floating in the currents, not moving as Pikachu struggled to pull the man up towards the opening above. The yellow mouse spotted Misty and made bubbles as it tried to call her name. Misty let one arm loose off Staryu, and wrapped it around Ash as they shot by. Pikachu gripped onto the man's clothing, and together they shot towards the surface. They broke through, Misty taking a large gulp of air.

"A-A-Ash?" she coughed, pulling him closer to her. His skin had a faint blue hue to it, and water trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Pikapi?!" Pikachu cried worriedly.

"No! Come on, Ash! Open your-" Misty was cut off as a wave washed over their heads. She emerged coughing and sputtering, but Ash remained unresponsive. Her eyes darted to Shamouti, which was much closer than she realized. The Shrine stood high above them, overlooking the sea from its cliff face.

"Get us to the beach," Misty told Staryu. "Hurry!"

Corsola submerged first, followed by the others. Misty gripped Ash tight, and felt Pikachu wedge himself between his Trainer and her. Somehow, his fur was warm and soothing presence. It helped to calm her frenzied heart just enough to clear her mind. Ash would be alright. She was going to help him as soon as they made it to Shamouti.

The gentle slope of the underwater sand came into vision, rising to the beach. The only problem? There wasn't a hole for them to emerge from underwater. Misty rested Ash against the sand, her lungs on fire from the lack of air. She swirled in the water, searching for Corsola. Finding her pink Coral Pokemon floating close by, she pointed to the ice and then smacked her fist into her palm. Corsola got the hint, and floated down to the sand below. Then, it shot straight up, smashing into the ice with a solid crack. Fissures ruptured through the thick layer, but did not break. The Water Pokemon sank back down to the sand as Misty started to gag within her own throat. She put a hand to her mouth in an attempt to keep herself from inhaling water.

Corsola shot up once more, completely shattering a large hole in the ice. Misty waisted no time, grabbing Ash and thrusting him up. His head broke the surface and then she followed. Her gasps for air came hard and heavy, causing her to go lightheaded and see stars. She paid no attention however, using the shallow water to her advantage. With what little strength she had left, she gripped Ash around his middle and pushed him out of the water. He flopped onto the ice, soaking clothes sticking to its surface.

Pikachu scampered out of the water, rushing to Ash's side with a distressed cry. Misty hauled herself out, feeling her legs burn from the effort. The unnatural icy water had completely sapped her strength, pulling it from her like a Dream Eater attack. Not that it mattered. She had to find more strength deep within herself. She had to help Ash!

"Help me!" Misty said to Pikachu and Corsola.

She grabbed underneath his arms and started hauling him to the beach. It was perhaps a dozen feet away, and the Shrine's cliff face loomed high above her. Pikachu gripped Ash's side and helped pull, while Corsola pushed against the other side. Staryu saluted from the hole in the ice, the jewel in its middle flashing with frustration.

Misty's foot connected with frozen sand, and she only continued pulling long enough to get Ash off the ice. Quickly she dropped to her knees and rested him on his back. Not wasting anymore time, she clasped her hands together and pressed down on his chest in rapid succession. Her heart beat with each press, fear inching its way back into her veins. She stopped, moving her hands to his jaw and nose. She held his head firm and pinched his nostrils closed before smashing her lips to his. Briefly her mind shot back to their moment on that rock overlooking the sea, but this time his lips weren't warm…they were cold. Frozen from being within Death's clutches. She forced air into his lungs, and pulled away, quickly going back to pressing against his chest. Pikachu stood off to the side, ears drooped as the mouse Pokemon whimpered for its Trainer.

Misty started muttering. "Come on, Ash. Come on!" She stopped pushing, placing her lips against his once again and sending air back into his lungs. Pulling away and going back to pressing against his chest, she continued. "Come on. You can't go like this. I need you to come back. Come on, Ash. Please. Don't leave me again….please."

Tears welled in her eyes as she spoke. She put her lips to his for the third time, the warm water coming from her eyes trickling onto his face. Once all the air in her lungs was forced into Ash's, she pulled away for the final time looking down at him with blurry vision. He still didn't respond, lying deathly still and a frozen breath caught in her throat. Her heart growing as cold as the icy depths of the ocean.

Ash's chest jerked and he suddenly coughed, spurting water with a horrendous gagging sound. Misty inhaled sharply and gripped his shoulders. She helped him sit up, pressing him so he was leaning forward. Leaning into his back as he coughed up the last of the water and groaned aloud, Misty closed her eyes and sniffled hard.

"I thought I'd lost you…"

"Misty?" his hoarse voice croaked. "Wha…" he coughed again.

"Take it easy for a moment," she whispered into his ear. Pikachu nuzzled his way under Ash's hand, scooting up to the man's side. "Just, breathe," she continued. "In and out. Nice and easy."

He followed her command. Shutting his mouth and inhaling through his nose. Her body pressed against his was warm, slowly bringing feeling back to his senses. He became aware of her arms wrapped around him, and her face buried into the crook of his neck. Once he was sure he wouldn't cough again, he let out a breath through his mouth and inhaled again.

"Misty?" he questioned. "What happened?"

She sniffled before replying. "You weren't responding. I was so scared. But you're back, and that's what matters."

The sheer, jarring emotion in her voice silenced Ash. He could only stare forward at the frozen sea before him. Watching the lightning flash above the two Legendary Birds continuing their fighting. Realization dawning on him over what happened, he'd never felt smaller. Death had its iron clutches around him, and by some miracle, he was alive. All thanks to this incredible woman holding him.

Misty breathed in shakily, and pulled her head up from its resting place. Immediately he found himself wishing for her warmth to return, but it came rushing back when her hands pressed into his shoulders and he felt her lips on top of his damp hair. They stayed there for a brief moment, before pulling away and pressing to another spot. She kissed the top of his head again, and let out a long breath. Then, she stood up and walked past him.

His brown eyes flicked up to her frame as she went by, his heart feeling fuller than ever. He couldn't explain it, but it was as if it had swelled beyond its normal size. Fluttering wildly from the woman before him.

She stopped at the edge of the sea, pulling forth Staryu's PokeBall. "Thank you so much, Staryu," she said before recalling the Starfish Pokemon. She turned back to Corsola and said, "You too," before recalling her as well.

Ash jerked a little when her aquamarine eyes flicked back to him, locking with his brown orbs. He swallowed, unable to glance away. Her emotions were easy, yet hard to read. He could clearly see the compassion and concern for him behind her eyes, but there was also a pain. A deep ache buried behind the relief of seeing his eyes open.

She strode back over to him, stopping and extending her hand down. "You still have a job to do, Chosen One."

Ash never once removed his eyes from hers, and she didn't pull away either. From the corner of his vision, however, he could see the yellow ribbon he'd tied to her wrist fluttering against her extended palm. He was astonished it was still attached, especially after everything they'd gone through so far, but it caused another flutter in his heart all the same. Slowly, his hand reached out and took hers. A spark shot through his fingers, and he was sure she felt it too. Judging by the way she inhaled a small, sharp breath. They gripped their hands tight, and Misty helped Ash to his feet. The strength in his legs wained and he stumbled forward, causing the pair to bump together, hands still connected. He swallowed again, and he saw her do the same.

"Come on," Misty said to him softly, her cheeks turning a faint pinkish hue. "Let's end this."

Ash grit his teeth, and nodded. This time, he forced himself to look away and up to the cliff beside him. The Shrine was up there, and he had the final Treasure in his pocket.

"Let's go."

* * *

Melody clenched her Ocarina close to her chest, a blank stare covering her expression. Slowking stood by her side, head bowed with defeat. The pair watched Lugia go down, with Ash and Pikachu right behind. Melody started forward, her shout forming, but it was no use. What could she do? She had no way of getting to them…not across the frozen wasteland. Not with the Birds fighting overhead.

"This is the end," Slowking sighed dejectedly. "Without the Chosen One, all is lost."

Melody didn't reply. What was she supposed to say anyway? There were no words for the numbness coursing through her mind. She'd stood diligently, watching as Ash and May raced off towards Ice Island. As she watched Brock, Misty, and Serena speed for Lightning Island. As she remained where she was as her home town fell under attack. All under the illusion Ash would return and they'd save the world.

Lightning cracked again as Moltres and Zapdos physically slammed their two bodies together. They cawed in pain, faltering in the air. Both attempt to charge attacks, but both failed. As thunder rolled across the frozen sea, the pair of Birds fell from the sky, plummeting towards Fire Island. This was it. This was the end. Her little Island, her home….was going to be wiped out, and the world close behind it. How did things get this way? Why had she never taken the Prophecy seriously? All her life she'd been around it and the Legends, but she always thought it was a silly gimmick for the tourists. How stupid had she been?

Carol, Mahri, Rudy…her family was going to suffer for her delusions. Misty, Tracey, Ash….she'd let her friends down by not putting any faith into her own stories. Into her own people's Legends and Myths. A sniffle escaped her chest, a lone sound that pierced through the raging wind and thunder. But a different sound caught her ear. A dull sound. Something she couldn't believe she'd heard. A footstep. The crunching of snow on ice as someone walked.

Slowly, she turned on the spot, her blue eyes swiveling around from the wasteland of frozen ocean. Step by step, raven and orange hair appeared over the steps leading up to the Shrine's platform. Ash's determined face came into her vision, a limp in his walk as he stepped forward. Misty paced beside him, an arm on his back for support in case he stumbled. Concern adorned her expression, but there was a deep relief as well. Pikachu lead the way, glancing back at his Trainer with a mixture of worry and pride.

Slowking awed aloud, straightening his posture. Elation in his tone. The same sensation fast filling Melody. Her blue eyes widened as Ash and Misty stepped up onto the stone platform, the Ice Treasure clutched in Ash's right hand. Glimmering with that deep glow like the other two. A sparkling blue glistening through his fingertips.

"They made it!" she shouted, raising her arm to wave their direction. "Hey!"

Ash and Misty broke into a small smile as Melody waved over to them, and they shared a look. The Island Native continued shouting with joy, waving her arms high above her head. She couldn't believe it! For all she thought was lost, here they were! The Chosen One marching straight for the Shrine to right what is wrong.

When they made it over, Melody launched herself forward into Ash. Wrapping her arms around him. He stumbled back a bit, but smiled all the same. Her arms squeezed tight, nearly crushing the air from his lungs, but he didn't complain. No. The Ash that once made a scene over someone embracing him in such a way was gone. Replaced by a more mature, adult Ash. If there was anything he'd learned over this entire venture. It was his own maturity.

Melody soon pulled away from Ash and turned to Misty, wrapping the red head into a crushing embrace as well. "I'm so glad you're both alright," she sniffled.

"Us too," Misty replied, returning the hug. "We were worried there for a moment."

She cast Ash a glance over Melody's shoulder, and he felt Pikachu nudge up against his leg. He returned her glance, feeling how scared she'd been for him in his heart.

"I see you collected the final Treasure," Slowking said to Ash, catching this attention.

"It wasn't easy," Ash told the Pokemon, forcing himself to look away from Misty. "But here it is."

He brandished it out, but Slowking shook his head and motioned to the Shrine. "You must be the one to place it."

Ash lowered his hand, "Right."

His gaze flicked over to the Shrine. The small tower of stone silhouetted in the flash of lightning, beckoning him forward to end this. As he started that direction, he was vaguely aware of his limp, but ignored it. The Orb emitted a stronger warmth the closer he got to the others, as if it could sense the other Treasures nearby. His fingertips tingled from the sensation, or maybe it was from Misty's gaze hot on his back. The thought caused his heart to pound against his chest, but he pushed it aside as he stopped before the Shrine's opening, bending down to peer into the gap.

The Fire and Lighting Treasure's flickered upon their perch, calling out to him to end this insane adventure once and for all. And he was more than happy to oblige. Slowly, Ash raised the Ice Treasure and extended his hand into the Shrine. A power radiated within the stone chamber, humming against his skin. Gently, he placed the Orb upon its respective perch, blocking Ice Island from view. He held his breath, waiting for something to happen, and when it didn't, he straightened up and glanced back to Slowking. Was something wrong? Was he not the Chosen One?

The Pokemon turned to Melody and simply said, "Lugia's Song."

"Oh, right!" Melody snapped, and raised the Ocarina to her lips.

The sound came out, soothing and peaceful, the same tune she'd played at the party the night before. It resonated within Ash, bringing forth a deep relaxation. Warmth seemed to ripple from the instrument, a warm breeze wrapping around Ash and fading out over the ocean. The Treasures within the Shrine lit up, glowing brighter and brighter. Ash faced them, having to shield his eyes as they grew to a blinding white. The same warmth emitted from them as the Ocarina, covering Ash with their presence. The shivering cold he'd been exposed to before was gone. Replaced by a soft breeze of clean air.

As Melody continued the tune, the light from the Shrine extended out, traveling down to the frozen water around its base. It erupted into a bright green, and in the flash, the ice covering the water's surface was gone. Once more the tiny streams trickled and flowed, continuing to glow such a bright neon color. It overflowed, washing around Ash's feet. Misty gasped when the water reached her, and Pikachu quickly scampered up her shoulder. A deeper relaxation slammed into Ash, the tune growing louder in his ears, yet not disturbing in the slightest. He watched as the green water washed over the side of the platform, falling to sea and rapidly expanding outward. The darkened ocean glowed the same as the small streams beside Ash, and his mouth fell open. The neon green coloring continued to stretch, fading from their eyesight as it passed over the horizon.

Goosebumps tickled down Ash's arms as the air was suddenly much warmer. No longer the arctic temperature it had been, the harsh wind slowed to a gentle breeze, bristling against his skin with a pleasant summer feeling. The thunder overhead slowly faded away as the lightning flashed one last time, and the clouds broke. Sunlight peaked through the crack, a straight ray of light highlighting against the Shrine before them.

Slowking awed again, as well as and Ash and Misty when the clouds pulled further apart, revealing more of the shimmering sun above. Ash had to squint, but as the light expanded to reaching the ocean, he saw the green coloring vanish along with the ice. As if the sun's rays were a giant eraser, it wiped away the frozen wasteland below them. Leaving behind only the gentle currents of the ocean washing against the beach.

Melody continued playing, the song penetrating deep within Ash. Leaving behind an everlasting peace he'd never felt before. No…that wasn't true. This feeling, this serene, wonderful sensation….he'd felt it before. Only once. Slowly, he turned his eyes to the orange haired woman behind him. And sure enough, as he looked upon her aquamarine eyes glittering in the bright, ever-growing sunlight, the sensation heightened. Finally, Ash Ketchum had figured out his feelings. He'd figured out his heart. He was in love with Misty Waterflower.

Her eyes turned to him, causing a skip in his heart, but they swiveled on by and grew wider with surprise. He spun on the spot, glancing out the direction she'd looked. The ocean churned and bubbled in a single spot. At first Ash's heart sank. Had everything he'd done been for nothing? Was the ocean going to flood the planet anyway?

Before it happened, he couldn't explain why, but elation soared through his chest. Then, with a song like cry similar to the tune coming from Melody's, the surface sunk into a small whirlpool before exploding upward into a high geyser. A large, sleek, silver and blue birdlike Pokemon shot from the sea, flying high into the sky. Its large wings expanded to their fullest, shimmering and glistening in the sunlight as droplets of water trickled away from the Pokemon.

Lugia cried its melodic voice once more, swerving around to soar over the occupants of the Shrine. Ash's hair whisked around his head as the warm breeze blew by. Pikachu gripped onto Misty's shoulder tight before crying its name with glee. Both human and Pokémon alike looked on in awe as the mighty Legendary soared back up into the sky.

As another warm breeze tickled his skin in the wake of Lugia's fly by, Ash's heart beat wildly. Elation inflating his chest with each rapid thump of his heart. It was slowly sinking in as the seconds ticked by. As his smile grew wider and wider. Despite all the obstacles thrown in his way, despite the hardships this weekend had brought, Ash had done it! What seemed like an impossible task mere hours ago was complete. The world was saved! With the help of his friends of course. He was aware how very little progress he'd of made without them. Especially Misty.

Brown eyes swiveled down to the orange haired woman, and he was surprised to see her looking back. The same elation filling his heart covered her expression as her damp clothes slowly dried from the warmth the sun provided. For a moment, it was just him and her. Locked in their gaze. Neither really knowing what the other was truly thinking, but Ash didn't need to know. After every confusing emotion he'd experienced over the last forty-eight hours, after Serena's kiss, Dawn's information, Misty's kiss, Gary's tough love, Brock's wisdom, and May's advice, Ash finally knew what everyone else had known all along.

Without thinking, he took a step towards her, but a sudden ruffling of wind all around him ceased that motion. He spun quickly to find Lugia perched on the edge of the Shrine, powerful eyes gazing down at him. He looked back up with awe, and nearly gasped when Lugia lowered a wing to the ground.

He blinked once…twice. Then pointed to himself. Lugia shrugged its wing and nodded to the sky, causing excitement to explode deep within Ash's chest. He snapped his head back to Misty and Pikachu, the widest, toothiest grin he'd worn in a very long time plastered from ear to ear. She looked surprised as he extended his hand her direction, but recovered quickly. Pikachu cooed his name as Misty broke into a sprint towards Ash, slowing her approach to take his hand.

He let her climb upon the Legendary first, and swiftly followed after. As she nestled herself just behind the base of Lugia's neck, Ash positioned himself just behind her. Pikachu climbed down from Misty's shoulder to wedge himself in her lap, cheeks sparking in anticipation. It was a bit jarring, but Ash quickly forgot the sensation as Lugia took off into the sky. Melody's tune faded behind them as they soared higher and higher, but Lugia was humming in sync with the Ocarina. Keeping the same feeling of relaxation coursing through Ash's nervous system. Though, a tiny bit of anxiety crept in when Misty leaned back into his chest.

With the blue sky growing brighter, and the ocean gently lapping below them, Ash had never felt better! The wind soothed his aching muscles, and the crisp smell of salt filled his nostrils. Misty inhaled deeply, letting out a long, happy sigh. He could tell her aquamarine eyes were swiveling every which direction, taking in their magnificent view.

Shamouti grew smaller behind them as the forms of Fire, Ice, and Lightning Island steadily grew bigger. Lugia curved towards Lightning Island first. Passing over the threshold and putting a large stretch of no longer frozen trees beneath them. A clearing came into view, full of debris and crumpled metal, but in the center of the clearing Ash could clearly make out two figures waving and cheering, as well as a massive Steelix peering up at them, and a small Pancham dancing around the human's legs.

Brock and Serena jumped up and down on the balls of their feet, shouting as loud as they could up to Ash and the others. He waved back, while Pikachu and Misty shouted down their own cheer towards them. Serena's smile was wider than he'd seen before, even wider than the day she kissed him. Her blue eyes were filled with pride, small tears trickling down her cheeks.

Leaning against one of the piles of debris, Lawrence stared up with shock and awe. His mouth hung open as the shadow of Lugia flickered over them, eyes blank and confused. It was evident in his mind he'd been one hundred percent sure of his destiny. How bewildered his thoughts must be right now.

Suddenly they were gone, consumed by the next layer of trees as Lugia swerved around and headed for Ice Island. Once more they were over ocean, and the smell of salt was back. Misty's long hair tickled against Ash's neck, but he didn't mind. In fact, he found himself resisting the urge to wrap his arms around her torso and pull her closer. It was a tempting idea…

He fell forward and pressed into her when Lugia suddenly veered to the right, taking a long swing around Ice Island's volcano. Misty laughed at Ash's jerky motion, and he quickly righted himself. Then, she gasped and pointed off to their left. Ash and Pikachu followed her motion, and both cracked into wide grins at the sight. At the edge of the tree line, lined up on the beach, was Team Rocket and May. James was waving up with both hands while Meowth jumped up and down with a joyous cheer. Jesse stood to their right, a smug, yet happy expression on her face. She supported May, wearing a torn piece of fabric across her temple. Ash could see her sapphire eyes from his distance away. He could also see the smirk on her expression, and he flushed a slight reddish color.

A sharp caw rang down from the volcano, sparkling particles radiating in the bright sun as a large, icy blue bird soared up over its rise. Articuno cawed down to them, and for a moment, Ash's heart spiked with fear. But the Legendary Bird simply soared around them in a circle, and fell in line behind them off to the left. It beat its magnificent wings, a much happier feeling radiating from the large Bird.

Ash sighed out the breath he'd inhaled, and cast one last look down to May and Team Rocket on the beach. Then they disappeared around the bend of the volcano, and Lugia shot back towards Shamouti. This time, as they moved over the sea, Ash was the one to gasp. His heart exploded with joy as relief washed through his veins. He quickly tapped Misty and said, "Look!"

Aquamarine eyes swiveled around, and beamed with excitement. Far below, riding across the waves of the sea, was Clemont and Bonnie on Gyarados' back. Much like the others, both were waving their arms and shouting up with victory. Dedenne sat atop Bonnie's head, sparking with jolt after jolt of pure happiness. Pikachu cooed down, waving specifically to the other little electric mouse. Gyarados roared up at Lugia, and though it might've sounded vicious, it certainly did feel threatening. If anything, it was the water type's way of cheering along with everyone else.

Two more, different caws reached his ears, and he turned in time to spot Moltres and Zapdos rising from Fire Island. They swooped and circled around one another, much like when they were fighting, but this time it was more elegant. More like a dance as the two swerved through the sky to join Lugia and Articuno in formation. Flames twisted and morphed around Moltres in a dazzling display, while sparks zigged and zagged in a vortex around Zapdos' sharp feathers.

Elation, relief, exhaustion, happiness, every joyous feeling in the world described Ash in this very moment. With the wind in his hair, the other Legendary Birds soaring around them, and the woman he loved leaned against his chest, he was a true Chosen One. There was absolutely nothing that could ruin this feeling. Without being able to control himself, he threw his arms into the air and shouted with the widest grin he'd ever had. Misty laughed at first, but soon she copied his action, and so did Pikachu. Together the three of them celebrated as Lugia hummed and swayed beautifully through the air.

And then it was over. Lugia was flapping its large wings rapidly as they swiftly approached down on the Shrine. Melody had ceased playing her Ocarina, the biggest look of awe on her face as the three Legendary Birds circled around in the air a few times before each cawing once more and finally heading back towards their respective Islands. Slowking looked like a proud parent staring up at Ash, with his hands behind his back. He gave the man a curt nod as Lugia touched down and lowered a wing.

Ash gave the retreating Legendary Birds one last look before throwing his legs over Lugia and sliding down to the ground. Misty soon followed, holding Pikachu close to her chest. She grunted a little from the thump, but smiled up at Ash nonetheless. Pikachu leapt from her arms, landing and reclaiming his usual perch on Ash's shoulder. He took a few steps back, as did Misty, and they looked up to Lugia. The Legendary was staring down at them.

"You did well, Chosen One," Lugia said. "The world owes you a debt it can never repay."

"I don't know about that," Ash replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Anyone would've done what I did."

"Perhaps," Lugia lowered its head a little closer. "But on this day, the only one who could've made all the difference, was you."

With that said, Lugia raised its head and flapped its wings. Wind rushed by Ash and Misty and the powerful Legendary rose into the sky. They watched, eyes glued to its soaring form, as Lugia circled around twice and then dove straight for the ocean. It cracked the surface, sending waves high as it vanished beneath the sea. Ash let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding when the waves washed over one another, slowly fading back into their normal swaying pattern.

For a moment, everything was silent. Only the sound of waves lapping against the beach, and the whistling of the wind pierced their ears. Peace radiated around them, almost foreign after all the crazy events they'd just been a part of. If he was honest, there for a moment, everything seemed hopeless. But, here they were. Staring out to sea during a warm summer day.

Then, Melody practically shouted. "That was awesome! I can't believe my ancestors knew about this all along and I didn't put any stock into it. I mean, I never thought I'd see Lugia! Or play Lugia's song to help the Legend! This was all just…."

She trailed off, breathing quickly as her blue eyes danced between Ash and Misty.

"Surreal," Misty finished for her. "I've been on many adventures with you, Ash," she turned to him. "But this one…"

"Was by far the most dangerous?" He suggested, his heart skipping multiple beats as they locked eyes.

She didn't say anything else, simply staring at him as her long hair blew in the wind. Feeling his own hair bristling around his face, he suddenly felt a little naked without his hat. Why was her gorgeous stare causing him to feel so nervous? Probably because he'd just thought she was _gorgeous_ …

"Congratulations, Ash," Slowking said, breaking Ash from the stupor he'd been in. "I imagine you'll want to celebrate your victory-" the Pokemon looked between him and Misty knowingly. "But perhaps you should go check on your other friends first? The blue haired one seemed very upset when she was here previously."

Like a bomb, Ash's mind exploded. His friends! His Mom! Where they all alright?! Him and Misty locked eyes one more time, sharing a worried look.

"Come on," Melody said, waving a hand. "I know a shortcut back into town."

No more needed to be said. Ash had a new mission. To make sure everyone else had made it through this adventure unscathed.

* * *

 **:D I am in love with this chapter! Even though Ash was very close to death, it was such a tender moment between our two lovebirds. Not to mention, Ash had a very major step forward with his realizations. All in all, I am pleased with the results! I hope you guys feel the same.**

 **Even though this was the final part of the climax, we still have two more chapters to go. We are almost done guys!**

 **As always, let me know what you think!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey everyone! I finally got another chapter done! First things first, I have to apologize profusely! School has been nuts and incredibaly demanding the last couple of months. But just know I'm still working on this story, and we're almost done. I hope you enjoy the newest chapter, and thank all of you for your patience!**

* * *

His legs burned beyond Hell by the time they made it back into town. After all the running he'd already done, after dodging stray attacks, after nearly drowning, Ash really wasn't sure how he was still standing. Not to mention he was dangerously close to forty-eight hours with no sleep. Couple all of that with his newfound emotions and feelings, well, perhaps him still standing shouldn't be that surprising. The surprise should be him still being Ash.

Their first sight upon reaching town was a small crowd of people along the beach. Thin wisps of smoke trailed into the blue sky from behind the building tops and trees, but it was apparent any fires were out. Flashes of red and blue lights flickered along the beachfront, with a dozen ambulances loading people for medical attention.

Misty gasped and suddenly veered off as they approached the crowd. Melody did as well, following the red head. Ash dug his heel into the sand to slow his motion, allowing him to turn and sprint after them. This sudden change in direction caused Pikachu to jolt on his shoulder, but the little mouse managed to hang on. He spotted what made them change course, a group of women helping to load an injured woman into one of the ambulances. Specifically, three of the women had bright yellow, pink, and blue hair.

"Daisy!" Misty called as she grew nearer.

The blonde woman craned her neck back, eyes landing on the three approaching subjects.

"Misty!" Daisy shouted in alarm, yet relief. She abandoned her spot, letting Lily and Violet take over. Both other sisters visibly looked overjoyed to see their younger sister running towards them.

Misty slid to a stop in the sand, colliding into Daisy's chest as the eldest Sensational Sister wrapped her arms around the youngest.

"Like, thank goodness you're alright," Daisy practically bawled.

Ash came to a stop beside the pair, but Melody continued past, towards the ambulance.

"Aunt Cindy!" She exclaimed, gaining the attention of the woman being escorted by Violet and Lily. The dark haired woman looked up, sporting a deep gash across her forehead. Her dark eyes widened when she saw Melody.

It took Ash a moment, but he quickly recognized Rudy's mother.

"Thank goodness you're alright!" Cindy said with a hoarse voice. "I was so worried about you." Then her eyes landed on Misty separating from Daisy. "Misty," she sighed in relief. "Thank goodness you're safe too."

Misty looked to the woman, and gasped, racing to her side. "Cindy! Oh no, are you okay?"

Ash watched her aquamarine orbs scan over the woman, small tears welling in her eyes as she saw the gash. It constricted his chest a little to see her so worried about Rudy's Mother. Pikachu's ears drooped with a small whimper.

"I'll be fine," Cindy assured, though her tone was grim. "I'm more worried for Carol…"

Melody's breathing stopped. "What…what happened to Carol?"

Cindy's dark eyes flicked to the ambulance and back to Melody. "We found her trapped under some rubble….she's breathing, but-"

Melody didn't listen to the rest, she maneuvered around Cindy and the two Sisters to head for the ambulance. Ash couldn't see, but judging by the way Melody gasped, it wasn't a pretty sight. He barely caught a glimpse of her tears start to fall before she hauled herself inside the back of the medical vehicle.

"We need to get her and you to the hospital," Violet said to Cindy.

"Go," Misty said. "We'll catch up later. Don't wait for us."

Daisy started to speak, "Misty, are you-"

"Go," Misty said again, cutting her sister off. "Ash and I'll meet you at the hospital. Don't waste anymore time."

A moment of silence spread between them, a heavy weight sinking back into Ash's shoulders. If poor Carol had been injured so badly…how had everyone else on the Island fared?

Then suddenly, the Sister's loaded Cindy into the back of the ambulance and climbed in themselves. And they were gone, speeding away with the red and blue flashing lights. Misty watched them go, her palms slowly clenching into tight fists. Casting her a glance, Ash could see her beginning to tremble.

"Misty," he said gently, though she did not look at him. "Carol will be alright," he continued. "The doctors will make sure of it."

"It's not just Carol," Misty said back, turning her pretty eyes on him. "What about your Mom? Professor Oak? Dawn? Gary and Tracey?" She paused, swallowing hard. "What if they're…"

Ash's throat went dry. The thought had been lingering in the back of his head since they started their run back into town, but he'd kept it at arms length. Too scared to fully let the idea sink in. Seeing the fear in Misty's eyes, he couldn't keep his own fear in check. It was as if his heart was going to explode from the pounding in his chest.

"Let's get to the hospital then," Ash said to her. As scared as he was to find an answer, he knew better than anyone else that running from your fears didn't solve anything. He had to face this unknown head on…but not alone.

Pikachu's tail brushed the back of his neck, and Misty nodded once, swallowing hard. Then they were running again, leaving the semi crowded beach behind as they ran side by side. Occasionally their arms would bump, a small spark of warmth shooting through the chilly blood in their veins. Neither said a word, only continued to match pace as they rounded corner after corner. Island Natives and Tourists scrambled to and fro throughout the small town of Shamouti, moving rubble from the streets and searching for any more possibly injured people or Pokemon.

Ash ripped his gaze away from a pile of bloody stones, too scared to see what might lie underneath. Perhaps no one, perhaps it was just as it seemed. Dried blood smeared over rough patches of debris. It was all he could do, to force his mind to focus on continuing to run.

Pikachu kept his nose high, sniffing the air for any familiar scents. The little mouse swiveled his head left and right, watching as Trainers and Pokemon worked together to help on another from the damage. A Machamp and Hariyama lifted a massive chunk of debris from a store front, allowing a small family to run free from the crippled building. Suddenly, a scent wafted by Pikachu, and the electric mouse snapped his head forward. "Pika!"

The electric type pointed forward past Ash's head, straight at the hospital now coming into view. Ash caught sight of it too, and he gulped, almost missing a step in his running.

"Come on," Misty managed to say through tired breaths, and somehow picked up her pace. Ash matched her, gritting his teeth to ignore the searing pain burning in his legs.

Together, they burst through the hospital doors into a bustling, insane lobby. Doctors and nurses jogged and ran past, escorting tables with patients on them or rapidly speaking with one another. Family's of the injured jostled behind, or paced back and forth by the waiting seats. Both Ash and Misty took a moment, bending over to rest their palms against their knees. Breathing so heavily their throats felt like they were on fire.

"Ash!"

His Mother's voice snapped his gaze up like lightning, and immediately he caught sight of her swooping towards him through the crowd. He only needed to take a few steps forward before her arms swept him up in a crushing embrace. Pikachu wrapped his tiny paws around her shoulder, nestling up against her hair.

"Thank Goodness you're alright!" She bawled into his ear. He could feel her hot tears tickle against his neck, but Ash returned the hug all the same. His heart swelled with relief upon seeing her okay, and for a moment his worry had vanished.

"I'm glad you're alright, Mom," Ash said back.

She tightened her arms around him before pulling away and launching herself at Misty. The red head caught the embrace with her own, feint tears trickling down her cheeks as she held Delia close.

"Thank goodness you're both alright," Delia sniffled. "I've been so worried about you. When Dawn and Rudy arrived with Gary I was so scared something had happened to the rest of you."

Ash's heart froze. Icicles spreading and tingling throughout his veins. Beside him, Misty's brow furrowed with concern, fear igniting in her eyes.

"What happened to Gary?" she asked in almost a whisper.

Delia looked between the two of them before motioning to follow. It was a hard walk through the innards of the hospital. Each step further in a resounding boom in Ash's ears. Each breath loud and scratchy.

Delia filled them in about the battle over the small town. She told them of Dawn and Tracey's parts, and how Gary flew into the sky to distract the Legendary Birds. She also explained the aftermath.

Ash's stomach twisted into knots. A queasy sensation filling his entire system. A broken leg and two ribs, a fractured wrist, deep scratches down his arms and back that would scar, and a severe concussion…that's what had happened to Gary. That's what Ash's oldest rival got for trying to protect the people of Shamouti.

So lost in his guilt and worry, Ash didn't see the flurry of blue hair come flying towards him until he was tackled into a tight embrace. Petite arms wrapped around him while a smaller frame pressed into his chest.

"You're okay! Oh…I'm so relieved…."

"Dawn?" Ash managed to say through the crushing of his chest as the bluenette clung to him. "I'm fine. Are you okay?"

She pulled away, her blue eyes looking up at his face. Her teary smile told him she was as she nodded. Something moved quickly beside them, followed by a muffled ' _mph_!' from Misty.

Ash turned his head, his heart once again going cold. Rudy was holding her close, one hand wrapped around the back of her head. He had his eyes closed and was breathing rapidly. He was muttering something also, but Ash couldn't make out what he was saying. Misty's eyes caught Ash's, but quickly flicked away. Her lower lip trembled briefly before she closed her eyes and tightened her grip on Rudy.

Before Ash could see anymore, Dawn grabbed his wrist and gave a gentle tug. His brown eyes snapped down to the bluenette, desperate to not see anymore of his previous sight. Dawn's blue eyes looked up at him with deep concern, and perhaps a little pain for him behind them.

"Come on," she half whispered. "Gary is inside this room."

She quickly spun and faced a door labeled ' _Recovery_ _109_ '. As she turned the knob and led Ash inside, he could feel the presence of his Mother following them. Pikachu shifted on his shoulder, the Pokemon's tail brushing his cheek. It was as if the electric mouse knew his Trainer needed his support.

Two male voices greeted their ears, briefly muffled by the dull thud of the door closing behind them. Dawn slid aside to allow Ash to see, and he was greeted with a surprised Professor Oak sitting in an uncomfortable looking armchair by the bed.

"Ash!" The Professor exclaimed, rising to his feet. "There you are! Thank goodness you're alright."

Before Ash could respond, and tell the Professor he was just as glad to see him okay, another voice spoke.

"I take it Red and the others are fine as well then?"

The usual snarky tone had a bit of fear laced in, a strange sound to Ash's ears. However, it was good to hear Gary speaking. He had almost feared the worst.

Professor Oak stepped aside to let them see his Grandson lying in the bed, sitting upright, while an IV drip was strapped to his arm. Gary looked as if he'd lost a fight with an Ursaring. He was covered his hundreds of tiny scratches, with a few much deeper ones across his forehead. A bandage covered his left arm and shoulder, as well as wrapping around his shirtless torso. Black and blue bruises were scattered in random splotches around his skin, and Ash could see a large one creeping out from the top of his chest bandages.

"Are you going to continue staring at me like I'm dead, or let me know if the other spazs' are okay?" Gary questioned, shooting Ash a raised brow.

"Oh," Ash fumbled, his initial shock wearing off. Relief swiftly replaced the feeling. Despite being hurt, Gary was perfectly okay. "Yeah, the others are fine."

"Good," Gary said, smirking suddenly. "I'd hate for anyone to take away from all this fabulous attention I've been receiving."

Aaaaand, just like that, the relief Ash felt was replaced with a mild annoyance. "You know Misty and I were worried about you," he replied pointedly.

" _Daw_ , I'll be sure to thank Red for being overly concerned about my wellbeing," Gary smirked wider, but it was as if he couldn't keep his ruse up. His grin faltered and he lowered his eyes. "I was worried about you guys too."

How many emotions was Ash going to feel today? A stunned silence overtook him, long enough that Dawn spoke up. "We were all worried about you guys."

"Well," Gary's eyes came back up. "I think Dawn was using that as an excuse not to show how worried about me she was."

Instantly, Dawn's cheeks turned a bright pink and she retorted, "That's not true!"

"Are you sure?" Gary challenged. "Because I'm sure when you thought I was asleep I felt you lips on my fore-"

"Does anyone want coffee?!" Dawn practically shouted, her cheeks going brighter. "I need coffee. I'll be right back!" And with a swish of blue, she was out the door.

"You shouldn't tease her so much," Professor Oak said cooly. "After all, we all know you were pretending to be asleep to see what young Dawn would do."

Something miraculous happened. Something Ash would've swore on a million different things he'd never see. Even Pikachu's jaw dropped open when Gary's mouth opened and closed like a Magikarp and he blushed violently.

* * *

Half an hour later, Ash, Pikachu, and Delia were exiting Gary's room and heading for the hospital lobby. Dawn never did return, which slightly concerned Ash, but he reasoned within himself that she was fine. She probably just needed a moment to process her own thoughts. After all, Ash had done that sort of thing a lot over the past few days. He could certainly understand if Dawn needed a minute. Honestly, he needed a minute! Since when did Dawn and Gary start flirting?

He stepped out into the lobby, which was significantly less crowded than when he arrived. Delia let the doors swing shut behind them, and she gasped with relief. Ash followed her line of sight, which caused himself to let out a quick breath. A small group of people occupied the couches beside a large window on the far side of the lobby.

The first person he locked eyes with was May. She was speaking with a nurse, and seemed incredibly tired. A hand clutched a blood soaked rag to her temple, and the nurse began to usher the brunette away. May shot Ash a gentle smile before she was blocked from view. Briefly he wondered where Team Rocket was, but quickly determined they must've dropped May off and gotten far away from the hospital. Too many cops in the area for their liking.

Next he spotted Clemont, Bonnie, Serena, and Brock. Clemont's glasses were missing, causing him to squint around the room. But Serena looked up and caught Ash's eye. She swiftly elbowed him and pointed Ash's direction, speaking something he couldn't hear. Bonnie and Brock turned his direction, and all of them gave relieved smiles. Bonnie even went so far as to jump and wave, mimicked by Dedenne in her bag.

The next group of people, however, made Ash's stomachs fill with lead. Misty and Rudy, standing side by side, speaking with their family members. His arm was around her waist, as if he were too scared to let go. She was leaned against him, chatting with an overly concerned looking Daisy. Mahri and Melody were the only ones to notice Ash, and while Mahri's appeared confused by his expression, Melody's face fell with dread.

He wasn't sure what kind of face he was making, but if it garnered those types of reactions, then he knew his emotions were written all over his expression. And when Rudy briefly leaned over and pressed a kiss to the top of Misty's head, Ash knew he had to get out of there. Right now!

He grunted something to his mother, not even sure what he'd said. She must've understood, however, as he caught her eye and she cast him an understanding nod. Having her permission, he swiftly headed for the lobby doors. His chest constricting tighter and tighter. The noises and chit chatting of the hospital's occupants bore down on him, pounding against his ears.

Warm air ruffled his hair as he stepped outside into the shining sun. It was much too bright. Much too warm for the icy coldness creeping into his chest. It felt wrong…completely, and utterly wrong! His heart screamed at him to go back inside and go right to Misty. After all the years of being a dense, Tauros Headed, numbskull, he finally knew what he desired deep in his heart.

Misty's love.

He finally understood everyone's relentless teasing, and Brock's subtle hints way back in the day. He understood why his Mother always asked how Misty was doing, even when Ash had been in other regions and Misty had been at her Gym. He understood why Pikachu had taken such a strong liking to Misty.

He was hopelessly in love with her….

And he couldn't have her….

His eyes burned as he set off down the sidewalk, vision going blurry. Pikachu tensed on his shoulder, sensing the emotions within his Trainer.

And then…

"Ash?!"

He froze. Locked in place by the piercing sound of her voice. She must've seen him escape. She must've followed him. He didn't turn around, but he heard her steps scratching against the concrete.

"Ash," she repeated, much softer now that she was right behind him. "Where…."

Her voice trailed off, clearly uncertain how to ask her question.

"How was, Gary?" She asked instead.

"Gary's fine," Ash replied, his voice surprisingly stable and calm. "As snarky as every."

Snarky? Since when did he start using that word?

She made a small hum, and he heard her take another step forward. "And how are you?"

That was it. He couldn't bare to have her ask him that question. How was he supposed to honestly answer her? What was he supposed to say?! His mind was a garbled mess of emotions and fear. Regret and realization. How was he ever supposed to accept the fact that he loved her but couldn't tell her? He couldn't take it.

"I'm fine, Misty!" He practically shouted, clenching his fists and dropping his head. "You should get back to Rudy!"

And he ran. Bursting into a adrenaline fueled sprint to get him as far away from her as possible. He wasn't even sure if Pikachu managed to hang on. All he could think about was finding the most secluded spot possible on this Island.

* * *

Misty watched him go, running away from her like he would've when they were twelve. She wasn't sure what to do. She desperately wanted to chase after to him. To console him and tell him it was all okay. But, is that what he needed? Was she even sure she was the one for the job right now?

Her outstretched hand, which she was reaching for him with before he ran, slowly started to fall back to her side. What would've happened had she just touched him? If she would've acted a moment sooner? With a ruffle of wind, a flicker of yellow on her wrist caught her eye. Her arms stopped falling, and her gaze landed on a tightly tied yellow ribbon. Sadness covered her expression as she looked it over, and she pulled her eyes up to the sidewalk.

As Ash rounded a corner and Pikachu's tail vanished from view, her heart flared with a burning pain. Her vision blurred, and she quickly smacked her palm against her lips. Emotions filled her chest, Hell, they filled her whole body! Feelings she hadn't felt in a very long time, and some as recent as the other night on that rock overlooking the sea…

What was she supposed to do?

"Misty?" came a feminine voice behind her.

Without thinking, Misty turned back to face her visitor. The warm breeze fluttered both her and Mahri's hair as she spun. Mahri frowned when she saw Misty's expression.

"I know this is sort of a stupid question, given what Shamouti just went through, but…." Mahri hesitated. "Is everything okay?"

"No" Misty found herself admitting before she could really stop herself. "No, it's not."

Mahri's eyes turned sad, and they flicked past Misty down to the sidewalk before returning. "Is there-"

"There's nothing you can do," Misty snapped before the younger girl could finish. "Can we just not talk about it?"

Before Mahri could really answer, the Hospital doors opened and Rudy stepped outside into the blazing sun. He caught sight of his sister and Misty, heading there direction.

"Hey," he called as he approached. "Was Ash okay?"

Maybe it was because Rudy asked, but Misty's throat felt constricted. She wasn't sure how to answer him.

"He's been better," she decided to say.

Rudy's expression morphed into one of slight concern, but he said, "Ash has always been tough. I'm sure these recent events just got to him a bit."

Oh, how little Rudy actually knew…Ash had just stopped the end of the world. Of course it affected him a bit. Not to mention the man's mixed up feelings. Which Misty herself had a hand in…

"Hey, Mahri," Rudy continued. "You mind giving Misty and I a moment?"

"Oh," Mahri looked a little surprised. "Sure. I'll go back inside and check on everyone then."

With that said, the younger girl proceeded to swiftly walk back inside the Hospital.

Misty eyed Rudy a little worriedly. "You never ask for a moment alone?" She quizzed.

"Well, this time it might be better," Rudy replied with a sheepish tone. "Wanna take a walk?"

Her surprise was evident on her face, but she nodded all the same. "Can we head to the beach?" She asked. "I still need to go get Gyarados."

* * *

Serena watched Ash run out the door, followed by Misty, Mahri, and then finally Rudy. She herself had gotten up to follow, but only didn't because Brock gently snatched her wrist. With a subtle shake of his head, Serena sat back down onto her seat. When only Mahri returned, she let out a heavy sigh.

Bonnie shifted uneasily in her seat and swiveled her gaze between Serena, Brock, and Clemont. Serena could feel her little eyes, but chose to continue looking at the lobby doors.

"Ash still has a lot to figure out," Brock finally said in a soft voice. "But don't worry. Everything will be fine."

"How do you know?" Serena asked back, pulling her eyes away and looking to Brock. "You saw the look on his face."

Brock nodded his agreement, his expression worried, yet firm. "I did," he said, "but I know because I know Ash. How many times in Kalos did he need to be on his own for a bit?"

Serena paused to think. There were a couple of times Ash seemed to have something on his mind and would vanish into the wilderness for hours, only to come back as good as new. And there was that time he suffered a heavy loss fighting for his final Gym badge. The loss that caused their first fight.

"Ash never lets things keep him down for long," Brock continued. "Even if this doesn't turn out how he hopes it will. Ash will eventually be fine. We just have to support him as his friends."

"And Misty," Bonnie added quietly, which shocked both Serena and Brock.

Serena couldn't help but give the little girl a small smile. "Yes," she nodded to Bonnie. "And we'll support Misty too."

Brock eyed Bonnie a little suspiciously, and finally offered a gentle smile. "You're pretty smart for your age. You know that?"

"That's what I keep trying to tell my Brother," she retorted. "But he doesn't believe me!"

"Whoa! I never said that!" Clemont defended himself, giving Bonnie a playful scowl.

And then the two Lumiose siblings started to bicker back and forth. Serena couldn't help but revel in the sound. A purely normal sound to her ears, and judging by the look on Brock's face, it was normal to him too. Guess Ash and Misty really did used to argue a lot back in the day.

With that thought, Serena's smile fell and she turned her eyes back to the door. Her inner most thoughts hoping and praying Ash would truly be okay.

* * *

He listened to his Grandfather begin to snore from the chair beside his bed. Something that used to annoy Gary to no end when he was younger. Now? Now, as he sat in his hospital bed, he couldn't help but enjoy the sound. It was a sound of safety. Of security and comfort.

A dull ache coursed through his muscles as he had those thoughts. A subtle reminder of the fall graciously given to him by the Legendary Birds. He wasn't angry with them though. They were goaded into that terrible situation. Hopefully the man behind the events was safely behind bars. No one had mentioned anything about it yet, and he was silently hoping somebody would have some information at some point.

The door to his room cracked open, and a lone blue eye peered inside. Gary watched Dawn swiftly enter the room and silently close the door behind her. He smirked a little as she tiptoed across the room so as not to wake Professor Oak.

"Well, well, well," Gary whispered, eyeing her playfully. "My little Hero has come back to visit me?"

She blushed a little at his remark and sat down on the edge of his bed. "I have news about Dragonite," she whispered back to him.

At this, Gary straightened up a little.

"Nurse Joy said he was doing just fine," Dawn continued. "A good week or two of rest and he'll be back to normal in no time."

"That's….very good news," Gary breathed out in relief. "Thank you, Dawn."

He smiled at her, and at first she smiled back, but then a thought entered her mind. Something she hadn't realized until this very moment, for whatever reason. Maybe it was because of the gentle way he'd just said her name.

"How come I'm the only person you call by their real name?"

Gary faltered, his smirk fading away. "What?"

Dawn scrunched her nose. "I…literally just noticed it, but when you address anyone else, you use some kind of nickname. You do it with me too, but not nearly as much."

"I don't know what you're getting at?" Gary questioned, his brow starting to furrow.

"Well, you call Misty, Red. Professor Oak, Gramps. May, Saph. And we all know what you call Ash," Dawn recited. "So why do you actually use my name on occasion?"

Gary's cheeks started to turn a pinkish hue, "Oh…I….uh…"

"Does it have something to do with what you told me on the beach?"

Again, Gary's thoughts hitched, his cheeks turning a deep crimson red. His mouth opened and closed like a Magikarp out of water and his eyes widened ever so slowly.

Dawn herself began to turn red and she quickly looked away, poking her two index fingers together. "Because I've been thinking about it a lot," she started, then gulped. "And…I think I may like you too…"

Her blue eyes flicked up to Gary, and his breathing stopped. "You…."

"I'm embarrassed enough!" Dawn said a little loud, then realized she spoke in such a way and lowered her tone, casting the still sleeping Professor Oak a look, "please don't say it again…just…show me I'm not crazy?"

Crazy?! Why on Earth did she think she was crazy!? Gary full on confessed to her on the beach and what did she think? That he wasn't serious? Granted, the words slipped out, he hadn't meant to confess, but regardless…he did.

And what did she mean show her she wasn't crazy? What could he do that would show her…. _click_ …..oh….

Shakily, Gary reached his good arm out, fingers out stretching her direction. She didn't pull away, only her eyes widening in movement. Fingertips brushed through her silky blue hair, and before she could fully register his touch, Gary had pulled her to him in a brisk motion and smashed his lips to hers.

The kiss was rough, but it was warm and it sent sparks shooting throughout her entire nervous system. She leaned onto his bed, pressing into him. This feeling was bliss! How had she not known about it before today? Stop thinking and just kiss the man!

* * *

Misty couldn't believe the words she'd just heard. No, really. She seriously couldn't believe it. How had Rudy been able to pull off such a thing?! After such a devastating event to the Island?

"Misty?" He questioned, a small smile gracing his face. "Did you hear me?"

"I heard you…" she replied softly, her brain sizzling from the sheer surprise as the clipped the freshly returned Gyarados' Pokeball to her belt. "You….you got the wedding back on track for tomorrow." She paused, her brow wrinkling. "How on Earth-"

Rudy waved a hand. "The details aren't important," he told her. "I was told if the both of us are up to it, we can continue as scheduled for tomorrow. I am…how about you?"

Misty hesitated. Her inner most self felt as if it were ripping down the middle. She hadn't seen Rudy since the previous night at the dinner. Honestly, she hadn't even given her wedding hardly any thought since then. Could she be blamed though? A lot had happened since last night. A lot…

"I…" she started to say, but paused when she looked upon Rudy's handsome, smiling face. Her heart fluttered at the sight, but it felt different than before. His eyes conveyed excitement for her answer, and she found herself unable to say anything other than, "of course."

Rudy's eyes beamed with happiness and he swept her up in a hug. She received the embrace with a little surprise, and felt his usual warmth and leathery smell. But…it felt wrong. Everything felt wrong. She shouldn't be getting married right after such horrible events! And there was always….

"Ash," she whispered aloud.

"Hm?" Rudy hummed, pulling away to peer at Misty with a frown.

"Oh, uh, nothing," she deflected. "I was just sighing."

Rudy frowned a little deeper, but seemed to accept her answer with a nod. "Well, we should get back to the Hospital. I'm sure everyone is wondering where we went."

"Yeah," Misty agreed half heartedly. "I'm sure they are."

And as he began to lead the way across the beach, back towards the street, Misty's heart shouted and screamed at her. But the message fell upon deafened ears. Her thoughts too jumbled and fried to hear the sound of her heart beating with frenzy.

* * *

Tears stung sad eyes as they watched the ocean sway in place. Waves gently lapping at the sandy beach below him. A warm breeze bristled his raven hair, but he couldn't feel the sensation on his skin. A numbness had engulfed him, dull and ringing throughout his nerves. Inside felt like a shell. An empty, massive shell.

Ash reached up and brushed at his eyes with his wrist. He didn't want the tears. They weren't right. They shouldn't exist. And no matter how many times he wiped them away, they returned as if he'd never done so to begin with. Those damn tears were relentless.

He looked out over the ocean, inhaling a shaky breath. Despite wanting to find the most isolated place imaginable, he'd wound up at the rock jutting out over to sea. The very rock where Misty had kissed him. He was hopeless…

How was he ever going to get himself over this situation if he kept doing things like this?

Pikachu sat beside him, a sad expression on the Pokemon's face. He was a loyal Pokémon, and stayed planted in his place until his trainer was ready to talk. Ash knew this, and silently was thankful for his longtime partner beside him. Pikachu was a comfort he desperately needed. And after about an hour of sitting there, sobbing to himself, Ash finally felt his voice return.

"Pikachu…" he mumbled, voice hoarse and groggy. The electric mouse perked up and scurried around to be in front of his Trainer. "I love her, Pikachu," Ash continued. "I don't think I can watch her be married to Rudy…"

"Pika Pikachu…" the mouse replied heavily, ears drooping.

"I think…I think I'm going back to Kalos tomorrow morning," Ash pressed on. "I can't be here, and we have a Championship to claim, right?"

"Pikachu," the mouse nodded, but didn't seem enthusiastic.

"I know, it sucks, buddy," Ash said. "But what else can I do? She's already engaged…I'm too late…far too late…"

As Ash's head dropped, Pikachu scurried into his lap and pat his shoulder. "Pikapika PiPikachu!" Brown eyes watched Pikachu clench his tiny paws and spark electricity from his cheeks. This made Ash form a small smile. "You ready to win our first Championship?"

The mouse replied with another cry of his name and more sparks.

"Then that settles it," Ash said. "I guess we better get back to let the others know."

Feeling a bit better, if only a little, Ash pushed his hands to the stone and stood up. Pikachu swiftly climbed up to his usual perch and " _chaa'd_ " when Ash scratched behind his ears. Little did he know, or see, that Pikachu's expression changed as they started back towards the town. The little mouse had major things on his mind, and he was formulating a plan.


	15. Chapter 15

**Good day, everyone! Here we are with the final chapter for "The Power of One". I know this has been a journey, and I'm so excited to finally be here at the end. I hope all of you are just as excited!**

 **A quick note before we begin. Some people may not like this story, or are simply trolls and are leaving hateful reviews. I ask that we simply ignore them. A troll is certainly not worth any of our time. Don't let them ruin your experience, they certainly don't bother me. When they comment hateful things like that, it just lets me know I've done a decent job and they cant stand it!**

 **With that said, I hope all of you enjoy the final chapter!**

* * *

The breeze was warm and gentle. Ruffling the auburn hair on the top of his head. Millions of stars twinkled above as he walked along the beach, listening to the washing of waves on the sand. It was a quiet night. Which is exactly what he needed after all the excitement.

Rudy inhaled deep and exhaled slow, closing his eyes as he continued on his path. So much had happened over the last few days, and he'd be lying to himself if he said he wasn't worried about Misty. After all, they were getting married, but her thoughts seemed elsewhere. She played it off well, but he knew his fiancé. Something was on the back of her mind.

At this point, he figured she needed some time to herself, which was why he slipped away to do the same. If there was one thing he'd learned in his life, it was that a moment of silent reflection could reveal a lot. So, on he walked across the sand, softly smiling to himself at the peace and serenity of his surroundings.

But he stopped as something moved up ahead of him. A dark figure in the dim lighting of the moon. The person was incredibly close to him, but apparently hadn't noticed. Rudy made out who the figure was, though.

It was Gary. What on Earth was he doing out here? For a moment, Rudy thought about calling out to him, but for some reason he didn't. Instead, Rudy frowned and silently walked at an acceptable distance behind the Pokémon Researcher.

* * *

 _Breathe! In and out! That's the key! Just…breathe._

Misty inhaled long and slow. Staring at her own aquamarine eyes looking back at her from the mirror in her tent. Hustle and bustle happened all around her as Misty's bridesmaids tossed makeup back and forth and helped each other get their dresses on.

Bright, diffused light penetrated through the white curtains draped high and all around them. Shielding the girls from sight so they could get ready for the wedding that was about to happen just outside. Misty could hear the crowd gathering, and even heard Professor Oak's laugh somewhere nearby.

Buterfrees had exploded into her stomach the moment she'd woken up for the day. She honestly couldn't believe the time was upon her. Especially after everything. It almost didn't feel real.

She blinked at herself, waiting patiently for Dawn assisting May. Both women were supposed to help Misty with her makeup, seeing as she hardly ever wore the stuff and would probably make herself look like a Mr. Mime. Oh, what a sight that would be.

She heard Brock's voice float by the tent, followed by Delia's, and her heart suddenly ached. Was Ash out there? Was he about to watch her be married? Her eyes flicked away from the mirror, toward a bright yellow ribbon tied into her hair. It was woven throughout red curls, accenting the fiery waterfall effect Daisy had created.

" _I still have your handkerchief, and your lure. Now you'll have something of mine when you start to miss traveling with me again"_

Misty slowly reached up and touched her fingertips to the end of her ribbon. "Oh, Ash…"

"Alright, Misty!" Came Dawn's voice right beside here. "You ready for us to….are you okay?"

Misty's eyes suddenly burned and she realized she'd started to cry. She looked up into the worried faces of Dawn and May, who both took the stools right beside the red head.

"Is there something on your mind?" May asked, concern on her face.

Misty caught Dawn's knowing eye, and the bluenette swallowed hard. "Does this have to do with…" she trailed off, but Misty knew exactly what she meant.

"No," Misty lied. "No….I'm…I'm fine. Just, it's all a little too surreal. Ya know?"

She gave both women a watery smile, to which neither returned.

"Misty," Dawn started, but was cut off.

"I'm fine, Dawn," Misty repeated. "Let's just get this over with."

She faced the mirror, steadying her breath and wiping her eyes. While she did, both Dawn and May exchanges nervous glances.

"Both of you look really cute by the way," Misty added. "Those cyan dresses bring out your eyes."

* * *

"Here is your ticket, we hope you enjoyed your stay on Shamouti!"

Ash accepted the plane ticket, giving the lady a smile and a nod. When he turned away from the desk, it fell, however. He really hadn't enjoyed much of this trip, but there wasn't a reason to relay that to someone simply doing their job.

Standing over by the security check, tickets already in hand, were Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie, with a napping Dedenne poking out from her handbag. Pikachu adjusted himself on Ash's shoulder as Serena caught Ash's eye and gave him a gentle smile. He returned it, if only half heartedly.

Clemont was wiping his pair of replacement glasses lent to him by Professor Oak, and he put them on. He squinted at Ash as the man approached. "It was really nice of the Professor to lend me his old glasses," he commented. "But the prescription is a little different than my own."

"Can you see how many fingers I'm holding up?" Bonnie asked quickly, jumping in front of Clemont and holding up three.

He frowned at her. "Three, Bonnie. Not being able to see as well doesn't mean I see duplicates of things."

"Well that's no fun," she pouted.

And as Clemont started to explain how eyesight worked, Serena gently shook her head and looked back at Ash. "So, are you ready to go?"

"Mhm," Ash nodded, holding up his ticket. "I called Diantha last night and told her I'd be back today. She's getting everything ready to start my final challenge tomorrow afternoon."

"Think you're ready to beat her?"

"Of course we are!" Ash replied, with a challenging spark erupting in his eye. "We've got this in the bag! Right buddy?"

Pikachu gave a hearty cry of his name and flashed sparks from his cheeks. Serena smiled at him, but there was a heaviness in her heart. Despite the excitement in Ash's brown eyes, there was also a deep sadness. His movements were slower, and he spoke with a slower tone. It almost seemed as if he literally had a weight on his shoulders.

Then….she noticed something. Pikachu was looking right at her, and then looking at Ash. The mouse swiveled his gaze back and forth until he realized Serena had noticed. Pikachu quickly pointed towards the entrance doors as Ash looked to the Terminals.

"Well, we're all set," Ash said. "Lets get going."

Serena followed him as he started towards the security checks, looking at Pikachu a little bewildered. The mouse started to motion something with his hands, but she couldn't understand Pikachu like Ash could. She thought about asking Ash what Pikachu was trying to say, but the electric Pokémon was obviously trying to tell her without letting Ash know.

She felt a tug at her wrist and looked down. Bonnie was matching her pace and looked up at her. "Ash seems distracted."

"Yeah," Serena agreed with a whisper. "Yeah, he does."

* * *

"Knock. Knock."

Misty started at the sound of Brock's deep voice. She spun around on her stool, spotting the man entering the tent with his hands over his eyes, wearing a nice green button down shirt and black slacks.

"Is everyone decent?" Brock asked taking cautious steps further into the tent.

Misty couldn't help but half smile at the sight. She then mocked, "Like you really care if we're decent in here?"

Brock scoffed. "Misty! Seeing your sisters in such scandalous clothing would be any man's dream, but seeing the girls I grew up with like that?! Absurd!"

May and Dawn shared a look over Misty's head and giggled. Misty too couldn't help but laugh before casting a glance over to Mahri and Cindy to make sure the younger girl was decently covered. "Everyone is decent Brock. You can uncover your eyes."

Despite being told it was okay, he was still hesitant in removing his hands. Slowly his narrow eyes cracked open, and May decided to shout, "Gah! Brock! Don't look!"

He shouted an apology and spun around as she laughed. "I'm kidding!" She said. "Only kidding, Brocko."

He looked back over his shoulder and saw the three girls laughing at him and frowned. "That wasn't funny."

"It kind of was," Dawn replied.

He sighed and walked over to them. "Are you all ready? They're thinking about starting the ceremony."

"We just got done with Misty's makeup," May said.

"And I don't think any of her dress has fallen out of place," Dawn added, looking the luxurious white dress over once. "I think we're as ready as we'll ever be!"

Hearing those words, Misty's smile fell and the Buterfrees returned. Her heart slammed against her chest.

"In that case, do you mind if I have a moment with our bride?" Brock asked.

"No problem," May nodded. "We can go see if Cindy needs any help with Mahri."

May squeezed Misty's shoulder before picking up her makeup bag and walking away. Dawn lingered for a second longer, looking at Brock like she wanted to say something. She apparently decided against it, looking down at Misty instead with a concerted look. She didn't know why, but that action sent a chill from her heart to her nerves.

As Dawn walked away, Brock pulled a stool across the makeshift flooring. He sat it beside Misty and looked her straight in the eye. "So," he started. "How are you feeling?"

She blinked a few times before replying, "Nervous."

"As expected," Brock half chuckled. "But I think you know that's not what I'm asking."

She blinked a few more times, fully understanding the expression hidden behind his eyes and forced smile. She didn't know how he knew, but she wasn't surprised. Brock had always been able to read her like a book.

"I'm a complete wreck, Brock," she told him honestly. "I don't know how I'm keeping it together."

He nodded gently. "Just so you know, I haven't seen Ash out there-"

Misty's heart jerked at the mention of his name.

"-so you don't have to worry about that part just yet. What you do need to concern yourself with…is whether or not you're really up to this moment."

"You mean I need to decide if I'm doing the right thing?"

"More or less," Brock nodded, then looked grim. "I am sorry for coming in here and bringing this up. But I wouldn't consider myself a very good friend if I didn't try to help in some way."

Misty looked down, "I know, Brock. I'm just….my brain is…." No…it wasn't her brain… "My heart is so torn."

He nodded again, giving a long exhale. "None of us have the answer, Misty," he said gently. "There is no right or wrong answer here. Only what you decide is best for you. You can have an amazing life, no matter which path you take, but no one else can decide that for you. I could tell you exactly what I think, Dawn and May could as well. But what would that really help? Just know, that no matter what you choose, all of us will still love and support you."

He reached out and pat her shoulder before standing up. She heard him step away, but then he paused.

"Even Ash."

And he continued on his way and left the tent.

Misty slowly looked up into the mirror in front of her. Staring deep into her own aquamarine eyes. She could see the divide in her heart reflected across her face. Only she could decide for herself huh?

She looked down at the dress hugging her body, and up at the fiery mane Daisy had whipped her hair into. Even she had to admit she looked beautiful. The perfect bride for the man patiently waiting outside at the altar.

She frowned.

Who was she to take away all that Rudy had put into this relationship?

No matter how she may have felt about Ash…

"I'm ready," she said loud enough for the others to hear her across the tent.

Mahri perked up, jumping away from her Mother and smiling wide. "We can start?"

"Yes," Misty replied, rising to her feet and facing the younger girl. "I think it's time."

While Cindy beamed, Dawn and May shared a concerned look.

"I'll let them know they can begin," Cindy said and quickly swept herself from the tent.

The next few minutes buzzed in Misty's ear as the four women lined themselves in order and Daisy appeared in the tent. Crying, of course, and taking her place by Misty's side.

"Here we, like, go little sis," Daisy said to her. "The first Sensational Sister to be married!"

Misty caught a quick glance from Dawn at the front of the line and forced a smile. "Yeah, I cant believe it."

Music started up outside the tent, and Cindy reappeared to inform the bridesmaids it was time to start the walk. Dawn quickly snatched a small bouquet of flowers by the exit flap and ducked under the fabric.

Bright light blinded her for a moment, but her eyesight returned quick enough. Revealing a large number of standing people before her. A small row of grass split two sides of the group, leading straight up to an altar where Rudy stood with the preacher. His groomsman stood off to his left, and Dawn quickly caught Tracey's eye.

She started down the isle, looking straight ahead at the altar, which had been set up at the Shrine. The three Elemental Orbs glistened in the sun behind the preacher, and Dawn couldn't help the small shiver down her spin.

Halfway down the isle, she heard May exit the tent behind her, but she also felt like she was being watched. Her eyes left the Shrine and immediately locked eyes with Gary standing at the edge of the second row, beside Professor Oak and Delia.

Despite still being covered in bandages and bruises, and having an arm in a sling, he was smiling at her with his usual snarky grin. A crutch rested against his chair, while Professor Oak gently supported his grandson. Dawn was almost side by side with him when Gary winked at her and she turned a bright shade of pink.

She hid her smile behind her small bouquet, but she was sure he could still see it in her eyes. When she passed him, she looked up to Rudy and he nodded at her. Dawn then took her place off to his and the preacher's right. May quickly joined her, followed by Mahri, who stood at the front of the line.

Then…

The song everyone knew by heart came on. Rudy straightened his posture, a large grin covering his face as Misty and Daisy emerged from the white tent. Tears sparkled off Daisy's cheeks in the bright afternoon light. Misty looked around at all the guests as she walked past them, clutching Daisy's arm tight.

She spotted Melody smiling at her, standing behind a wheelchair that occupied her older sister. Carol's hair was pulled back to reveal a massive bandage across her head, but she was smiling at Misty nonetheless. Misty gave them the biggest smile she could muster. Melody returned the gesture, but there was something in her eyes. A concern?

They walked past the other two Sensational Sisters, crying just as hard as Daisy. Misty rolled her eyes at them. She spotted Brock, who was also smiling at her.

"You look beautiful," he heard him whisper as they walked by, and for a moment, Misty looked at him in awe. Until she noticed he was speaking to her sister. It took a lot of strength to not grab him by the ear and haul his ass away.

Next she caught Delia's brown eyes, and a warmth spread to her fingertips as the elder woman smiled wide. Her Mother figure nodded and wiped away a lone tear. Beside her, Professor Oak himself was holding back a tear. Which surprised Misty. Of course, he'd watched her grow up just as much as Delia had, so maybe that wasn't so crazy.

Gary wiped away sweat on his brow and made a face at Misty like he was bored. She resisted the urge to send him a certain hand gesture, and he appeared to know that. Regardless, he softened his gaze and nodded at her. Misty felt a small smile tug at her lips.

Then she saw her bridesmaids, all beaming happily at her, though Dawn and May appeared to be forcing it a little more than Mahri, who appeared utterly ecstatic. Next she gazed over the Groomsman and caught Tracey's eye. He looked like a proud parent, which almost made Misty laugh.

And then…Rudy. His face was so alive with excitement, and he too had a tear on his cheek as Misty approached. He almost started her direction, but caught himself and put his hands together. Daisy and Misty halted at the bottom steps of the Shrine.

"Who gives this woman to be wed?" The Preacher asked loudly.

"Her sisters and I," Daisy replied with a happy sob.

The Preacher motioned to Rudy and he stepped down to take Misty's hand. Daisy let go of Misty and the red headed woman stepped up onto the Shrine.

"Nervous yet?" Rudy whispered to her.

"Nope," she replied shakily.

They planted themselves in front of the Preacher and he started speaking. "Ladies and Gentlemen! It is my honor to be here among such fine folks. You may be seated."

As everyone sat, and the Preacher continued, Misty caught sight of the sparkling elemental orbs behind him. She didn't feel her face drop, she could only feel the way her heart tugged against her heartstrings. She could feel the gentle breeze ruffling the yellow ribbon in her hair, and without thinking she reached up to touch it.

As a lone tear fell down her cheek, she didn't see Rudy looking at her.

* * *

"Next please," the lady taking plane tickets said. The line shuffled forward by one, and Ash took a step closer to their departing gate. He let out a long sigh, glancing down at his ticket.

Back to Kalos…that's where he was headed…yep. Off to face his final challenge and become the Champion of Kalos. That's what he was doing! Yeah….so why was he not excited?

His heart started to say something, but Ash looked up and out the large glass window framing their brightly colored plane. Behind him, Serena watched him closely. She could practically feel the sadness radiating from the man. Like a deep blue-green wave was hovering around him.

Her own heart was speaking to her. Crying out for her to do something to ease Ash's pain. But what could she honestly do? Kissing him again was certainly a bad idea, even if that was the first thought that entered her mind. It seemed no matter finding out how Ash truly felt about her would deter the feelings for him in her heart.

She reached up and touched the blue ribbon he'd given her. The one she had yet to stop wearing around her neck. Unfortunately, the red ribbon she'd won had been too badly stained with Ash's blood to keep. He'd apologized profusely, but she assured him it was okay. It stopped him from bleeding! She'd use it again and again like that if she needed to.

Still, she had won that ribbon with Ash and Brock. It had almost been a symbol of what could be. Two colors united. Her red and his blue. Matched together forever.

 _The Fire of Moltres burns in your heart, and you're stronger than even you know. Whatever hardships may befall you, something tells me you'll pull through them stronger than before._

That's what the man who gave them their ribbons told her. She certainly didn't feel that way. She didn't get the man she dreamed of, and she never would. How could she pull through that?

Ash sighed again, closing his eyes as they moved again in line. Pikachu shifted on his shoulder, looking back at Serena. Once again, he started to mime and waves his tiny arms at her, but she was at a loss. Whatever Pikachu was trying to tell her, she didn't even know if she could help. How was she supposed to help the man she loved?

…..

Pikachu pointed out the giant window, off towards the North of the Island.

…

Pikachu stood up straight, holding a tiny arm out as if he were being escorted.

…

It clicked.

When her and Ash were stuck under the snow, she promised herself she'd help Ash with his Misty situation. No matter the outcome! That's what Pikachu was trying to remind her. She needed to get Ash moving!

"Hey, Ash?" Serena asked cautiously.

He slowly looked up and turned his head her direction. "Yes?"

Upon seeing the ache and confusion in his eyes, Serena's heart almost broke completely.

"Are you sure you're doing the right thing?" She almost couldn't ask. If she told her past self she'd be attempting to help Ash run to another girl….well, she certainly wouldn't have believed it.

Ash frowned at her. "I'm headed to challenge Diantha. Of course I'm doing the right thing."

"Yes, but, is it the right time for that?"

Ash frowned harder. "What do you mean?"

Serena paused. Hesitant as to how she should proceed. Her mouth opened and closed for a moment, before Bonnie came to the rescue.

"She means you have feelings for Misty!" The young blonde said a little too loudly. "She means we're all wondering why we're headed back to Kalos instead of the wedding."

Ash's jaw gaped open. "Wh-wh-wh-"

"Don't deny it!" Serena barked, her heart cracking more and more with each word. Tears welled in her eyes. "Please…don't deny it. We…we all know it's true."

His brown eyes locked with her blue, and she could tell he was remembering there time trapped under the snow.

"While I'll admit I wasn't sure," Clemont spoke up, uneasily glancing around at the few people staring at them. "I had my suspicions of your feelings towards Misty."

"All of you….knew?" Ash repeated slow as if he couldn't process those words.

"And I'm willing to bet everyone else knows too," Serena added. "Even Rudy."

Ash's stomach dropped. Guilt scratching at his insides with a ferocity he had yet to feel in his life. There's a chance Rudy knew how he felt about Misty?

"Our point is, Ash…" Serena paused, closing her eyes and reaching out to take his hands. "This is obviously affecting you. A lot. We're just concerned about you, and what you plan to do."

"What I plan-"

"Are you really going to run away?" Serena cut him off. "Are you going to run back to Kalos and leave how you feel about Misty behind?"

Ash opened and closed his mouth multiple times. Blinking rapidly each time.

"The Ash I know never runs from anything," Serena continued. "That Ash would never give up! Is it wrong to try and take Misty from Rudy? Yes….but is one wrong in your life worth the full life of happiness you and Misty could share together?"

"I….I…."

"This one wrong moment is only happening because you were too dense to see how Misty felt about you earlier! It's a lesson! Life is full of lessons! This one is meant to snap you out of your dense head and make you act! So GO!"

She shoved him out of the line, almost causing Pikachu to topple off Ash's shoulder. Serena was breathing heavy, glaring at Ash with tears building in her eyes. As they started to fall, she clenched her fists.

Ash watched her tension, fully seeing the sheer willpower it was taking her to say those things. Fully recognizing what she herself was willing to give up for him. As his own eyes started to burn, he lowered his head and tried to hide behind the bill of his hat, only to remember he no longer had it.

She could fully see him begin to cry, and he had no where to hide. Which caused him to think….why was he trying to hide? What did he have to hide?! He loved Misty! Everyone else already knew it, so what was he really hiding from?! Serena was right. Ash was about to run for all the wrong reasons.

He locked eyes with her. "Thank you, Serena."

"Go!" She shouted again, and Ash listened. He broke into a sprint, leaving behind his bag and hurtling through the small crowd of people around the departure gate. Pikachu's claws dug into his shoulder, and the electric mouse let out a squeal of delight.

Ash didn't stop to look at the other people in the airport, he only bobbed and weaved through them. Not even apologizing if he bumped into someone. No. Ash had a mission! He had to get to Misty! He had to stop this wedding! What on Earth had he been thinking! He loved her! He was absolutely head over heels in love with her! She couldn't marry Rudy! She just couldn't!

The sliding doors were barely open before Ash flew through them, startling a small family. He didn't notice them, only grabbing a PokeBall and throwing it.

Charizard emerged with a mighty roar, and Ash was climbing onto his back before the Fire Type even realized. "Come on!" He shouted. "Take me to the Shrine, Charizard! We have a wedding to stop!"

Three heavy wing beats lifted them straight up, and they shot off in an orange blur. The luscious greenery of Shamouti soared beneath them as Ash's jet black hair billowed in the wind. He didn't look left. He didn't look right. He didn't look down! His eyes were locked on their destination. The top of a white tent rising above the trees at the Northern end of the Island.

Charizard must've heard everything from his PokeBall, because the Fire Type soared as if Death itself was on his heels. He flew faster than Charizard had before, confusing many eyes down below. And faster than Ash expected they soared over the tent and slammed down into the middle of two empty rows of chairs. He slid off the back of his trusty Pokémon and looked around.

Nothing. Everyone was gone. No guests. No Rudy. No Misty. Just an empty altar decorating the Shrine and empty rows of chairs. The elemental orbs glistened in the sun, sparkling elegantly as if they knew they were being watched. Emptiness settled in Ash's heart as he slowly approached the Shrine.

Pikachu's ears drooped, and the mouse scurried off of his Trainer's shoulder to stand by Charizard. His footsteps sounded hollow to his ears as Ash stopped just before the orbs. They seemed to glow a little brighter in his presence, only seeming to show the darkness spreading in his chest.

Brown eyes stung as they welled with tears. He was too late…that was the theme of this entire ordeal. Oh! He loved Misty? Figured that out way too late! Go get the girl? Once again, too damn late!

He fell to his knees, chin hitting his chest as a sob erupted from him. After everything, after pushing through his own dense head….after saving the world….after all the advice and directions and himself realizing exactly what he wanted….it wasn't good enough. He wasn't meant to have Misty…

"Ash?"

The sobs stopped as the male voice reached his ears. Brown orbs widening in total shock as he craned his neck and back to see the person speaking his name. Looking past Charizard and Pikachu, Ash spotted Rudy standing at the entrance to the white tent, holding open one of the flaps as he stood motionless in surprise. Ash quickly reached up and wiped his eyes, turning away from Rudy.

It was faint at first, but his footsteps began approaching Ash, and soon they stopped directly beside him. A gust of warm wind ruffled against the pair, billowing Ash's hair and Rudy's black slacks. He was still in his tux, Ash noticed from the corner of his blurry vision.

"You good, man?" Rudy asked, his hands in his pockets. "I thought you never cried."

"And what made you think that?" Ash retorted, sniffling as he wiped away the last tear.

"You just don't seem like someone who cries," Rudy explained, looking out over the ocean. "Guess I don't know you all that well, though."

"Guess not," was all Ash had to say.

Silence came between them, except Ash was sure Rudy could hear his frenzied heart. Sadness and anger stung at his insides. Clashing and fighting for dominance over the other.

What was Rudy still doing here? Shouldn't he be off with Misty somewhere on their honeymoon? That's how these things worked, right? Ash glanced up at the man beside him, seeing Rudy still looking out over the ocean…except, at this close of range, Ash could see a deep sadness on Rudy's expression.

"You know," Rudy started, not averting his eyes from the water. "You're still a very lucky guy, Ash."

Ash blinked. "What do you mean?"

Rudy inhaled long and slow, holding it for a moment before letting go of his breath and dropping his head. He half smiled, but it wasn't a happy smile by far.

"I saw you, you know," Rudy told him. "The other night, after the dinner."

Ash frowned for a moment…only a moment…Fear sent an icy chill though his veins.

"I saw you and Misty on that rock, when Gary interrupted," Rudy revealed. "I never would have thought a simple stroll would reveal so much."

"Rudy," Ash began, rising to his feet. "I didn't mean-"

Rudy held up a hand to stop Ash. "I know what I saw," he said. "Whether you meant to or not isn't the issue. The issue is how Misty still feels about you…even after all these years."

Ash swallowed hard, his chest constricting in on itself. "Does that really matter? She married you…"

Rudy lowered his hand and gave Ash a look he could not describe. "No…she didn't. I called the wedding off."

A buzzing filled Ash's ears. "Wh…What?"

"I called it off, Ash," Rudy repeated. "When I saw the way she ran away, I tried to pretend it was a mistake she wouldn't do again. That she had just acted on long repressed feelings and realized they weren't there anymore."

Rudy had to swallow before continuing, "I was wrong. She filled me in on what you did for Shamouti….and the world at that. It's no wonder she still feels so strongly for you, Ash. Like I said, you're a lucky guy."

"Rudy-"

"I'm mad…damn, am I mad. At you, at her. At the Legendary Birds for putting the two of you so close together," Rudy pressed on. "But…I love her. And sometimes when you love someone, you have to let them go, right? That's what they say. And whether or not that's right or wrong….in my heart I know it's right. Her and I don't belong together, Ash. You do."

Ash had no words. There was nothing he could say to the sheer emotion Rudy was laying on him. He wasn't even sure how he felt about it.

"So," Rudy turned back to the ocean. "Go….go find her and get away from me before I change my mind. You'll know where she is."

Ash noticed tears start to roll down Rudy's cheek, and the man's fists clenched. Ash's heart tore for the man. It truly did. He had never meant to hurt Rudy so badly, even though he knew it was unavoidable.

Before he could further cause the man any more pain, Ash simply whispered, "Thank you, Rudy. And…I'm sorry."

Then he ran away from the Shrine. Away from Rudy and the elemental orbs. Away from this entire crazy adventure. Running away was certainly not the Ash Ketchum way, but in this instance, running away meant running towards something greater!

With the flick of his wrist, Charizard was returned to his PokeBall. Pikachu squealed with happiness and scurried up Ash's leg as he ran by. There was no stopping, no slowing down. Ash had somewhere to be. A certain rock jutting out over the ocean to get to!

So, he ran. And ran. And ran. Faster than he ever had before. Faster than running from the Legendary Birds. Faster than when he was almost too late to get his first Pokémon. Sand flew behind him as he jumped the last stone step and hit the beach.

It felt like forever, and it felt like no time at all when Ash rounded the final bend and there it was. His heart swelled at the sight of his first kiss with Misty, and sitting out in the very edge was a red headed figure with a flowing white dress. She was faced away, but he knew it was her. His yellow ribbon swayed in her fiery hair.

The crunching of sand turned to the scratching of stone as he leapt onto the rock. Here was where Pikachu disembarked, fully knowing what was coming next. The mouse jumped down, skidding to a stop and looking after his Trainer with pure glee.

"Misty!" Ash shouted, hearing his voice ring out over the ocean.

She turned, wide eyed as she spotted the man running towards her. The yellow sun glistened off her white dress and orange hair, casting a warm glow around her. Aquamarine eyes sparkled as they filled with tears, and she jumped to her feet.

Together the pair ran for one another, and Ash felt as if he would internally explode as she raced his way. This was it! He'd finally done it!

Her arms extended when he was five feet away, and he went to return the gesture. SMACK! Her palm slapped across his cheek, stopping and stunning him in place. Pikachu cringed.

"Ash Ketchum!" She roared. "What on Earth do you think your doing?!"

"W-w-w-"

"I've been sitting here, _waiting for half an hour!"_ She continued, putting her hands on her hips. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to wait on your dense brain to catch up?!"

He blinked at her. Wait…

Tears fell down her cheeks. "I'm so tired of waiting, Ash…."

He didn't know what came over him. Maybe it was all the crazy emotions that had filled his head the last few days. Maybe he finally wasn't so dense when it came to women. But Ash swooped forward and cut her off. He smashed his lips to hers, causing a muffled, delighted squeak from the beautiful woman before him.

Sparks shot through his lips, filling his body with electricity the likes which even Pikachu could not do. When Misty's arms wrapped around him, he knew. This was Heaven! He'd finally done it! Ash Ketchum had gotten the girl!

* * *

"Serena! Bonnie! Clemont!" Happy voices rang out as the Kalos trio entered the hotel dining area. Delia waved them over and Brock got up to pull three extra chairs to their table.

"Hello again, everyone," Serena said with a small smile as they joined the group. She looked around at all of them, catching Dawn and May's eye. Receiving nods from Tracey and Gary. Happy smiles from Professor Oak and Delia. And even a quick hug from Brock before he sat back down.

"I see you three decided to stay for a while longer," Oak noted. "I assume Ash has as well then?"

"Yeah," Serena nodded. "He…he ran out of the airport pretty fast."

"Did he _finally_ go after Misty?" May asked, leaning on the table.

"My money is on anxiety caused diarrhea," Gary said quickly. "He's on the toilet, right?"

"No!" Bonnie scolded him. "He raced off to the wedding!"

"It's about time," Dawn said. "I think we all knew he was going crazy in his own head."

"When is he not?" Gary quipped, causing Dawn to elbow him. "Hey! Careful! I'm still all broken up over here!"

"I'm glad Ash is finally doing this," Delia added, but she frowned a little. "Even if I don't approve of the timing."

"As much as I don't like it either," Brock said. "I'm not sure any other timing would've been sufficient."

"At least they finally are going to pull the trigger," Tracey said. "Watching them dance around their flirting all these years has been sort of exhausting."

Gary slapped a hand to the table. "That reminds me! We had bets on this! Brock, I believe you owe me some money!"

"Whoa! We were serious about that?"

Serena couldn't help her smile growing wider as she watched these wonderful people playfully bicker and tease one another. These were not just Ash's other traveling friends anymore. No…she would dare to say she'd made many new friends on this adventure. Even at the cost of losing part of her heart.

Ash was going to be happy. And that's what mattered to her in the end!

"Is it still too late to bet?" She chimed in, to which Gary replied it was never too late to take Brock's money.

Her heart might be heavy, but slowly it was being lifted back up.

* * *

 _1 week later…_

Well worn and beaten up shoes hit the beach. A deep inhale filled her lungs with warm, fresh air. Long violet hair flowed in the breeze, and tan skin soaked up the sun. Brown eyes looked down at the little Pokémon beside her.

"This place is wonderful, Axew!" She cried.

To which the little tusk Pokémon agreed with a hearty cry.

Iris closed her eyes for a moment and then snapped them open. "Right! We should find where that wedding is taking place!"

"Axew! Xew!"

Together they set off down the beach, walking together and pointing out the various Pokémon and scenery before they came across another person walking along the shoreline.

"Oh! Excuse me!" Iris shouted. "Hey! Do you think you can give me directions?"

The other person looked up, and Iris noticed it was a woman with long brunette hair. She wore a green Barrett and had a pink tank top with large round sunglasses hanging from it. Iris approached her and smiled wide.

"Hi," the woman said. "You must be new on Shamouti?"

"Yeah, just got in today!" Iris said. "My names Iris, and this is Axew!"

Axew greeted the woman, and she looked down. "Oh! A Unova Pokemon? I've never seen one before."

"He's certainly one of a kind!"

"He looks like it," the woman smiled. "My name's Melody. You said you needed directions?"

"Yeah! We came here for a friend's wedding, but we don't exactly know how to get there."

"A wedding?" Melody questioned. "Who's wedding?"

"Misty Waterflower?" Iris told her. "Have you heard of a wedding for her happening around here?"

Melody paused, clearly unsure of Iris. "Um…that wedding was supposed to happen last weekend."

"Last weekend?!" Iris exclaimed, her smile falling. "Gah! I hate computers! I swear it said the twenty-sixth of May!"

Melody blinked a few times. "Uh, it was. Today is June first."

Iris stared at Melody a few moments before groaning. "Well…at least we can check out the Island instead, Axew."

"Axew."

"Do you know Misty?" Melody asked.

"Yeah, she's a friend I met through another friend," Iris told her. "I really wanted to make her wedding. I feel bad."

"Was the other friend Ash?"

Iris frowned at Melody. "How did you know?"

A sly smirk of enjoyment cracked across Melody's expression. "Do I have a story for you."

* * *

 **And that's that! Ash finally got Misty! And Misty finally got Ash! 15 chapters in, but we got there.**

 **I sincerely hope all of you have enjoyed this story. And I hope all of you enjoyed the little pay off of Iris being just as bad with technology as Ash is :)**

 **I've enjoyed this retelling, and it has been a pleasure to work on for all of you. Please let me know what you liked, what you didn't like, what your favorite part was, etc. I want to know it all! So don't hold back!**

 **Massive thanks to all of you who have been here since the start, and massive thanks to those who came later on. All of you have been wonderful!**

 **Until next time!**


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